WEDNESDAY, 17 FEBRUARY – Faculty staff were urged to diversify their skills in addition to their core duties in the office.

Dean of the Faculty of Science and Natural Resources (FSSA), Prof. Dr. Baba Musta said, employees should take advantage of sharing opportunities and improve their skills in tandem with current technological advances.

He said this when opening the Media Technology Applications Course Series 1, organised by FSSA held at the Computer Room 1, FSSA.

Regarding the course, he praised the efforts of the Administration and Finance Sector of the faculty headed by Hasmi Hashim for their efforts and concern on the development of skills among staff by organising opportunities among staff of different schemes.

Hasmi Hashim when met by media said, through this course, programmes and activities could be carried out in a prudent manner by disseminating information through visual aid using smartphone.

“This is also one of the faculty’s efforts in supporting the call made by the university to be prudent, as stated in its policy,” he said.

The course was attended by 20 staff and was conducted by Assistant Information Technology Officer, Redzuan Abdullah.

The course among others touched on the use of Microsoft Publisher to create visual graphics concept for flyers, backdrop, story-books and banner that could be shared using social interactive application found in smartphones of individuals who would like to organise any activities. – (fl)

Source: Kenny Uwai, FSSA

TUESDAY, 16 FEBRUARY – The Faculty of Business, Economics and Accounting (FPEP) Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) is in collaboration with the Borneo Food Chain Company in opening a fast food kiosk at the faculty.

The Fast Food business based on fresh fish products that has been processed is conducted by students of Financial Management and Banking programme (HE06) through their Entrepreneurial Executive, FMBC Bizhub.

Through such cooperation, Borneo Food Chain’s role is to provide business training, and business facilities as well as as financial support to the students.

To ensure the quality of food and service are always guaranteed, the students involved were given adequate training in various aspects such as financial recordings, clothing, preparation and delivery of food.

Head of Programme for HE06, Amer Azlan Abdul Jamal said, the joint venture was a capstone activity of HE06 providing opportunities to students to practice what they have learned in class into a form of practical experience in running real business venture.

“Our students involvement  in business is not just for profit making.  Through this, our students would be able to apply the cognitive, affective and psychomotor techniques that they had acquired during the course, which involves the use of referral, analysis, the synthesis of knowledge and skills.

“This project also provides a new platform for HE06 students to generate income for their club’s activities in future besides providing opportunities to students to supplement their pocket money,” he added.

For FPEP Dean, Professor Dr. Rasid Mail, the cooperation between the Borneo Food Chain and FPEP benefitted the students as it could develop their interest to engage in entrepreneurial activities, thus erasing the ‘salaried worker’ mentality.

“This indirectly supports the university’s policy is having its community actively involved in activities that could generate income,” he added.

Among the products sold are fried fish balls, fish nuggets, wonton fish, seafood tofu, fish cake, and fish crackers.

The operating hours are from Monday to Friday, starting at 7.30 am to 4.30 pm, at the foyer of the Faculty of Business, Economics and Accounting. – (fl)

Source: FPEP

MONDAY, 15 FEBRUARY – Graduates from colleges or universities were reminded not to be too choosy in finding jobs, but accept any job that they could find and then try to improve themselves.

Sabah Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Hj. Aman said, the state government was especially concerned about the fate of university graduates who were graduating every year and finding the right job.

He said, the government has spent a substantial fund to provide good infrastructure in urban or rural areas to attract investors to invest in the country, thus creating yet more jobs for the unemployed graduates.

“The state government has also provided land and various schemes to help graduates particularly to be involved in agriculture, to be agriculture entrepreneurs.

“Agriculture today is not a dirty job or just for the poor, but agriculture can generate lucrative income.  Thus, graduates must be positive and take the challenge, instead of seeking jobs that they like,” he added.

 He said this when launching the state level interview programme of 1Malaysia Training Scheme (SL1M) at the Main Lecture Hall 2, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, this morning.

He commended the efforts undertaken by the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) of the Prime Minister’s Department (PMO) that provided a platform for graduates to seek career opportunities involving government-linked companies (GLC), government agencies and private sector that provided training career as a preparation to graduates undergoing training.

SL1M programme this year involved more than 3,000 job opportunities offered by more than 40 companies.  Up until this morning, more than 1,000 visitors attended the programme to seek career opportunities on offer.

Present at the ceremony were the Chairman of EPU, Datuk Seri Dr. Rahmat Bivi Yusoff; Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Student Affairs and Alumni, Associate Professor Dr. Ismail Ali; Director of EPU Human Capital Development Section, Amir Omar and Chief Secretary of the 1Malaysia Training Scheme, Hajah Norashikin Datuk Haji Ismail. – MA (fl)

Photo: Suzeanywati Gasinin

MONDAY, 15 FEBRUARY – Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) Media Carnival 2016 organised by the Corporate Relations Division (BPK) was a success when more than 200 attended the event held at UMS ODEC Beach, over the weekend.

The presence of 40 children from the Anak Kesayangan Children’s Home, Sembulan through BPK’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme added meaning to the carnival.  This also included families of media practitioners who also participated in the telematch,  adding to the merriment.

The programme, which was the first of its kind aimed at appreciating the contributions and close cooperation that existed between the media practitioners and UMS among others, besides entertaining the inmates of welfare homes.

Various telematch activities were held among them, colouring contest for children, egg-peeling, sack race, tug-of-war, besides lucky draws for those who attended the carnival.

The carnival was officiated by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation), Professor Dr. Shahril Yusof, who also announced plans to open UMS library membership to Sahabat Media UMS. – MA (fl)

Photo: Suzeanywati Gasinin