KUCHING – Eight students from Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus have gained industry certifications from the university’s industry partners Tecforte and Keysight Technologies, setting them apart from their peers.
In line with Swinburne Sarawak’s efforts to offer value-added programs, the university recently introduced two new units to its Bachelor of Computer Science which offer certification opportunities to students. For this first batch of students, eight proceeded to the industry certification examination and passed.
Three of the students, namely Abang Abdul Azim bin Abang Adzhar, Zaid bin Osman and Joshua Law Lik Zhiung from the Bachelor of Computer Science, received two industry certifications in the area of cybersecurity from Tecforte. These were the ELITE Certified SOC Administrator Certificate and ELITE Certified Cyber Rangers Certificate.
Meanwhile, in the area of IoT, five students received the Keysight IoT Design and Validation Certification. They were Chin Jing Jie, Kazumasa Chong Foh-Zin, Chua Jia Zheng and Kim Hansol from the Bachelor of Computer Science as well as Jake Chieng Zen Yang from the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Robotics and Mechatronics).
The certificates were presented to the students by Ir Professor Su Hieng Tiong, Dean of Swinburne Sarawak’s Faculty of Engineering, Computing and Science, at a session called ‘Bridging the Gap: Connecting with the SoICT Academic Team and Industry Experts’ held on 22 March 2023.
Witnessing the presentation of the certificates were Ms Leong Wei Khuan, VP, Cybersecurity Consultancy & Solutioning, Tecforte, and Mr Danny Tan, Asia Pacific Education and Research Business Development Manager, Keysight Technologies.
“We are truly proud of our students for this achievement, which is aligned with Swinburne’s commitment in ensuring that every Swinburne learner gets a work experience. Their success in achieving industry certification is a strong indication that our students are able to effectively meet industry requirements,” said Professor Dr Patrick Then, Swinburne Sarawak’s Head of School of Information and Communication Technologies and Director of Centre for Digital Futures.
“Our students gain not only a bachelor’s degree but also industry certifications, which give them a competitive edge and set them ahead of other graduates. We look forward to the continuation of these close ties with our industry partners, which positively impact our students and graduates,” he added.
One of the students, Abang Abdul Azim, said that this certification had prepared him for his cybersecurity career by equipping him with the relevant skills and knowledge required to defend against cyber threats.
“I now have the confidence to enter the industry as a fresh graduate with experience from the practical training,” he said.
Another student, Kazumasa Chong, described the certification as a form of acknowledgement for the hard work and dedication he had put into developing his skills in this field.
“With this certificate, I hope to continue my growth as a professional in the IoT industry and make a positive impact on the world. I couldn’t have achieved this without the invaluable support and guidance of my tutors,” he said.
In realising its Horizon 2025 Vision, Swinburne’s ‘moon shot’ for every Swinburne learner to get a work experience highlights the university’s commitment towards providing all undergraduate students with work integrated learning and real industry experience – overcoming the boundary between work and study. With this, students are well equipped with knowledge and skills directly from their respective industries.