Miri – 11 August 2016 – 38 accounting student members of the CPA Australia Student Charter (CPAASC) and other commerce students of the Faculty of Business of Curtin University, Sarawak Malaysia (Curtin Sarawak) recently visited several companies in Kuala Lumpur to gain industry exposure.
Supported by CPA Australia – Malaysia and the Department of Accounting of Curtin Sarawak’s Faculty of Business, their four-day study tour included visits to PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers) Malaysia, Feruni Ceramiche Sdn Bhd, Malayan Banking Berhad, BDO Malaysia, Bursa Malaysia and Shell Business Service Centre Sdn Bhd.
Accompanying the students were representatives from CPA Australia in Malaysia including CPA Australia Relationship Manager Leong Pui Kuan.
During the visit to PwC Malaysia, the group was given a guided tour of the company’s office during which they met with staff and learned about the wide range of services offered by the global ‘Big 4’ firm.
The group at Feruni Ceramiche.
At Feruni Ceramiche, Managing Director Dato’ C.C. Ngei gave a detailed presentation on the company, its products and services, as well as job opportunities in the company for graduates. He also spoke about Feruni Ceramiche’s efforts to attract talented millennials into its workforce.
While at Malayan Banking Berhad, the students had the opportunity to take part in the Maybank Go Ahead Challenge, an international case competition that challenges the intellect, creativity and endurance of participants.
At BDO Malaysia, the group attended a talk by the company’s Director of Talent Acquisition Thong Siew Fong on the importance of acquiring professional qualifications upon graduating. Meanwhile, at Bursa Malaysia, the students learned more about the function of stocks and got a first-hand look at the stock market in action.
At Shell Business Service Centre Sdn Bhd, the Curtin Sarawak students along with students from Sunway College and Monash University Malaysia Campus too part in a case study. Besides putting their critical thinking to the test, the students from the three institutions received constructive feedback from staff of the company.
CPAASC President Celyne Alycia Foo commented that the study tour helped her gain a clearer picture of the graduate attributes and employability skills required by employers.
CPA Student Ambassador Arun Gunasagaran meanwhile remarked that it was good opportunity to learn more about the companies he is interested to kick-start his career with.
All the students agreed that such study tours and industrial visits inevitably help them gain valuable insights into the business world and are glad that the university’s Faculty of Business builds such activities into its course curriculum to help students prepare for their future careers. It has been the aim of the Faculty to encourage students’ active participation in connecting to the industry.
Through this event, the Department of Accounting is proud to note that a number of its students have been invited for internship placement and full-time employment. Foo added that it was definitely a fruitful excursion for the students as a number of them have been invited for job interviews with the companies they visited. In addition, representatives of the companies have given positive feedback on the students’ active participation during their visits to their companies.
The CPAASC is an independent, self-regulated student club established under Curtin Sarawak’s Faculty of Business with direct supervision from CPA Australia in Malaysia. For more information on CPAASC, visit its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/CPAASC.CurtinSarawak/.
Organising Chairperson Yazid Mohd Maslani (left) presenting souvenir to Mohd Nuurul Al Hafiz Abd Wahab of Bursa Malaysia.
科廷大学（澳洲大学马来西亚分校） Curtin University Sarawak Malaysia
http://www.fsi.com.my/curtin-sarawak/
