MCKL’S GRADUATE COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK ENSURES STUDENTS LIVE UP TO EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS

By Teh Kuan Hong

KUALA LUMPUR, July 4 (Bernama) -- Methodist College Kuala Lumpur’s (MCKL) Graduate Competency Framework ensures that its graduates are equipped with the right skills and attitude for today's business and technology industries.

MCKL principal cum academic dean, Dr Gerard Boey, said digital skills -- which are important not just for work but daily life, too -- are part of the framework to develop the right competencies for job security.

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“Furthermore, it is a holistic framework to help graduates meet the demands of the workplace which are rapidly changing as a result of the Internet of things (IoT) and disruptive innovations.

“In fact, cross-disciplinary programmes, such as financial technology, merge various disciplines that enhance traditional disciplines so that fresh graduates are able to cope better with technology, big data and the fourth industrial revolution (IR4.0),” he told Bernama recently in an online interview.

Elaborating further, Dr Gerard said that the Graduate Competency Framework encompasses three core values -- knowledge, skills and attitude -- which MCKL graduates must possess.

“At MCKL, we train our students to be adept at transferring skills they’ve learnt across different domains and disciplines, instead of sticking to just one, while being a digitally smart individual who is competent at information gathering, media usage and technology.

“But most importantly, through the framework, we instil a lifelong learning attitude which is an important trait in coping with disruption which has become common due to the increase in knowledge from collaborations which transcend borders, research and discoveries,” he explained.

Dr Gerard added that the 4C skills -- critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and communication -- are also part of the framework, even though they are basic skills that should have been learnt from young.

He said that most secondary school leavers do not have adequate skills perhaps due to a lack of training as most of them are focused on getting good examination results.

“We train our students to face the world. The 4Cs are very important although they are very basic. Students have a hard time articulating themselves in interviews, but it’s never too late to develop those skills,” he added.

To reinforce the framework’s objective, MCKL recently collaborated with Fave Group and Deakin University in Australia among others, to ensure its students live up to the requirements of the working world.

Also in the online interview session were Deakin University Australia, Faculty of Business and Law International and Partnerships associate dean, Prof Colin Higgins , and Fave Group co-founder, Yeoh Chen Chow, who hoped their collaboration with MCKL would pave the way for graduates to enter the workforce with a global mindset.

“MCKL attracted Deakin University Australia to this partnership because of their commitment to lifelong learning values which they instil in their students through the framework.

“Their idea of developing a holistic professional is the reason we are proud to partner with them. We can complement each other with that philosophy of developing the future workforce, professionals and citizens,” said Prof Colin.

Yeoh said: “As a MCKL industry advisor, we learn what students are going through and subsequently build that synergy and flow of information in line with the framework.

“This is to ensure that what they are learning stays relevant to employment requirements.” 

Both said that students who possess a global mindset are an asset to the job market and that it is critical to function as a human being today, according to Prof Colin, while Yeoh believes they must also understand the local environment.

For further information, visit www.mckl.edu.my. To contact MCKL KL Campus, email to admission@mckl.edu.my, or call +603-2300 0998. For Pykett Campus Penang, email to admission.pg@mckl.edu.my, or call +604-217 5088.  

Follow MCKL on its official social media channels on Facebook and Instagram @MethodistCollegeKL.

-- BERNAMA