‘My years at UTP were pivotal in reinforcing my global outlook and desire for continuous learning and improvement,’ says Lim.
WITH her boundless vitality, ambition and diligence, Perlis-born Lim Chia Wei epitomises the traits of a well-rounded Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP) graduate.
Therefore, it was no surprise that after an eight-month internship as a cementing field engineer, she landed a job at her dream company Schlumberger in 2016 as a field engineer.
Initially based offshore in Borneo, over the years the 30-year old, who is also known as Cempaka, was sent to Thailand and Oman on international assignments.
In 2020, she was promoted to a sales position in which she spearheads sales and revenue growth for Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines. The new role allows Lim to expand her soft skills as well as strengthen her technical knowledge in the energy industry – specifically in drilling.
The petroleum engineering graduate’s journey in the energy industry began back in her teens. That she hailed from the country’s smallest state did not restrict her worldview or ambitions.
“I was a tough girl, outgoing and active in sports. I represented my state in ping pong and swimming. My father knew I was not cut out for office work and would often show me pictures of oil rigs when they came on TV,” she says.
By the time she was in Form Four, Lim knew she wanted to be an engineer in the energy industry. After her Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia exam, she had her eye on enrolling in UTP’s foundation programme but was unsuccessful.
“My heart was set on UTP, so I applied again and succeeded on my second attempt,” she recalls.
Her years at UTP were pivotal in reinforcing her global outlook and desire for continuous learning and improvement. One of her university life highlights was a student exchange programme with the Missouri Science and Technology University in the United States.
“It was a life-changing experience. I sharpened my English-speaking skills, made friends with people from many countries, and learnt petroleum engineering within the US curriculum structure,” she says.
‘We identify opportunities for our students to work at tier one companies and so we have purposeful collaborations with these companies,’ says Prof Nor Hisham.
Manifestation of quality
The success of UTP graduates like Lim and their marketability among multinational corporations (MNCs) speaks volumes of the university’s quality, says Student Affairs deputy vice chancellor Prof Ts Dr Nor Hisham Hamid.
The latest statistics show that 95% of UTP graduates are employed by the private sector, with a majority (43%) employed by MNCs.
“Our idea has always been that if we produce the right kind of graduates then they will have no problem getting a job and they will be able to command the right salary for their skill sets. This has been our mission and it remains steadfast,” Prof Nor Hisham says of the university which is celebrating its silver jubilee this year.
“We identify opportunities for our students to work at tier one companies and so we have purposeful collaborations with these companies. We make our presence felt to ensure that our graduates are highly sought-after by these MNCs,” he adds.
‘Young, active and smart are the characteristics of UTP graduates,’ says Sharon.
Employers acknowledge the calibre of UTP graduates. Murata Electronics (M) Sdn Bhd, for example, favours UTP graduates.
“Young, active and smart are the characteristics of UTP graduates. We are impressed with their extraordinary performance in academics and co-curricular activities, which makes them outstanding,” says Murata Electronics human resource executive Sharon Lim.
“Their good personal qualities, talent, intelligence with charisma, confidence, positive values and passion make them different from other candidates,” she says, adding that the company has been collaborating with UTP for several years.
In 2011, Murata and UTP inked a memorandum of understanding for the company to share its expertise in curriculum development and host industry visits, industrial placements, as well as undertake academic collaboration and joint activities such as conferences, workshops and seminars.
