Education

Sunday December 16, 2007

Make the right choice

By TAN EE LOO


educate@thestar.com.my

Looking for a “one-stop centre” that will allow you to fully explore education programmes? Then keep January 12 and 13 free so that you can visit the Star Education Fair 2008.

TAKE your time and choose wisely – that is the advice from education adviser Jerry Tan for post-SPM students.

On top of that, he says, students must select their programmes based on their skills and interests.

“You need to be realistic about yourself, whether you are academically inclined or a more hands-on person, and not follow blindly what others do.

“If you are better at skilled-based tasks but pursue an academic programme like law, you will suffer,” he cautions.

Another key factor that must not be overlooked, he adds, is the question of cost.

Tan will advise students and parents on choosing the right pre-university programme and subjects.
A student might end up not achieving what he wants if he failed to identify the right pathway and a programme that suits his family's budget, he says.

According to Tan, the pre-university years are, in fact, the most crucial ones in a student's life, as they will determine which university and what course they will move on to.

“Some students, for example, say: 'I will take A-Levels first, then I will worry about the rest later.' But if you don't intend to go study overseas, why take A-Levels?” he says.

Hence, he adds, it is important to seek proper advice prior to making decisions related to study options after SPM.

Tan, who is general manager at education advice service provider Studylink Sdn Bhd, will be one of the speakers at the talk on “Options after SPM” at the Star Education Fair 2008 to be held at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre on Jan 12 and 13.

A regular speaker at the fair for the past four years, he will look at “Choosing the right pre-university programme and subject options”.

For visitors at the fair, Tan has some suggestions on how and what to ask when obtaining information about courses available from exhibitors.

Parents, he notes, should find out if the courses are recognised by Public Services Department or relevant professional bodies, and how much they should set aside if their children are to follow the complete pathway.

Joining Tan in the “Options after SPM” session will be a representative from the Higher Education Ministry, who will talk about “Looking at community colleges and polytechnics”, and Star-Jobs Online senior executive Joyce Lee, who will speak on the topic “Where do I fit in the career world?”

Lee will give an overview and description of the different category of careers such as business, service, technology, science, outdoors, arts and entertainment.

Other aspects that she will cover include a self-discovery exercise used to explore the job-seeker's interest, personality, skills and values.

She will also talk about ways to explore career options such as seeking advice from counsellors, internships or getting in touch with seniors who have graduated.

Representatives of Star-Jobs Online, which is The Star's job recruitment portal, will also be present at the fair to give advice on the process of applying for jobs via the portal.

The recruitment portal matches job hunters to the jobs that are most suited to their skills and experience.

With over 150 exhibitors and 430 booths offering services and information on a wide range of courses at every level, the Star Education Fair is set to be even bigger and better this time round.

The fair will be a must for SPM and STPM school-leavers with major decisions ahead of them. Working adults can also check out part-time and postgraduate study options.

The country premier education fair will also be held at the Penang International Sports Arena on March 1 and 2.

For details and registration, call 03-7967 1388, ext 1168/ 1250/ 1243/ 1466, or 04-647 3899 (for Penang) between 9am and 5pm, from Mondays to Fridays, or e-mail:
msd@thestar.com.my.

  • E-mail this story
  • Print this story