27 Dec 2022
Nurturing future digital leaders through YTM Future Skills Champion Schools
Enhances its adopted schools programme to be more holistic by embedding digital technology and leadership skills
TM, through Yayasan TM (YTM), recognises the need to equip the next generation with the digital and technology skills required for Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR4.0). In view of this, in 2014, YTM began its Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) oriented programmes, such as robotics, 3D modelling, coding, and big data analytics, to promote those subjects amongst students and education communities at schools nationwide.
In 2020, the modules were conslidated into TM Future Skills (TMFS) programme, with the aim of making it more comprehensive and beneficial to the intended participants. The programme was tailored to the syllabus outlined by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and covered the nine (9) pillars of the IR4.0. It has been receiving positive feedback from the teachers and students involved and more schools have requested to be part of the programme.
Supporting MOE’s aspiration for digital education transformation, YTM continues to spread the positive impact of TMFS in a more structured approach. Towards this end, the foundation has embarked on TM Future Skills Champion School (TMFS School) initiative, as a continuation of the TM School Adoption Programme with enhanced contents. TMFS Schools foster future digital skills by embracing digital technology in its classroom activities where leadership, design thinking and cognitive abilities were emphasised to prepare the students for future employment.
SMK Gunung Semanggol (SMKGS) in Perak, with more than 90% of its students from B40 families, was selected as the first TMFS School, aligned with YTM’s aspiration to assist B40 students in rural areas. To further facilitate the initiative, YTM is establishing TMFS Digital Hub at TMFS Schools where the schools will be equipped with a PocketLab, robotics set, 3D printer, smart TV, desktop, and digital learning content to gain more interest from its students as well as the neighbouring schools.
"SMK Gunung Semanggol was identified based on its active involvement in various STEM initiatives, including previous TMFS programmes. The school also has passionate and dedicated teachers, where they adopt integrated and innovative approach for more in-depth understanding of the modules among the students. With such exposure and capabilities, we are confident that SMK Gunung Semanggol is able to play the role as a hub to spread the digital technology knowledge to more students and teachers including at the five (5) neighbouring schools, and approximately over 20 secondary schools in the Kerian district," said Izlyn Ramli, Director of YTM, during the launching ceremony of TMFS School in November 2022.
Throughout this three-year programme, YTM, together with its strategic partner, Creative Minds, will work with Multimedia University (MMU), Yayasan Universiti Multimedia (YUM), TM Perak, and other YTM's partners to design and deliver engaging programmes providing the tools and support for students in rural schools to flourish.
"We are also happy to see that SMK Gunung Semanggol promotes the development of other skills, such as urban farming and entrepreneurship, to empower the local communities sustainably. So as we continue to identify more potential schools in more states of Malaysia, we hope this programme will unearth more talented students towards building a competitive and sustainable community in the future," she added.
Salmah Iman, the Principal of SMK Gunung Semanggol, expressed her enthusiasm, "We feel honoured and privileged to be chosen as the first TMFS School in the Northern Zone and Malaysia. We are excited and look forward to share the positive impact of this programme with the nearby schools. As we are committed to ensuring that this programme achieves its goals, we are also confident that YTM's support and assistance will help these students be prepared for future employment and enhance their standard of living."
At the event, Bakri Arsad, Chief Assistant Director of Mathematics and Science, Learning Sector, Perak State Education Department, said, "We welcome such initiatives through collaboration with the private sector, especially for rural schools that need exposure to digital technology. These programmes will inspire students to explore their potential beyond academics and increase the number of students choosing STEM-related fields."
During the launch, guests had the opportunity to visit the Pusat Sumber Sekolah Pendeta Za'aba and experience content and materials created by the students based on specific themes including unique handicrafts and martial arts performances. Guests toured the school's urban farm, where they sampled delicious cuisine prepared by students from the special education class using produce from the farm. SMK Gunung Semanggol provided a wonderful ambience of positive vibes that attract students' engagement and boosted their creativity.
To date, STEM-related programmes by YTM, including TMFS, have benefited over 15,000 students and teachers from over 500 schools across the country. With the support and assistance of various interested partners, we hope this initiative will spark students' interest in pursuing their tertiary studies in technology and digital fields and equip the young generation with future-proof skills relevant to the future workforce.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
TM recognised as employer of choice at Graduates’ Choice Awards 2020 and World HRD Congress 2020
The Company was voted as among the top by university students across Malaysia. Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) was recently chosen as one of Malaysia's Most Attractive Graduate Employers to Work for in 2021 in conjunction with the 3rd Graduates' Choice Awards 2020, organised by Talentbank. The Company was ranked first in the Government-Linked Companies (GLC) category and top three (3) in the Telecommunications Category. Recognised by over 750 organisations nationwide, the Graduates' Choice Award is an esteemed award which gives recognition to outstanding organisations that demonstrate exceptional employer branding as voted by over 24,000 university students across Malaysia. In addition, TM was also recently awarded three (3) awards at the 11th Asia's Best Employer Brand Awards in the following categories: Best Employer Brand Excellence in Training Innovation in Recruitment Hosted by the Employer Branding Institute, World HRD Congress and Star of the Industry Group, Asia's Best Employer Brands Awards recognises efforts of organisations in the Asian region that have demonstrated excellent employer branding through effective talent strategies, talent development and talent innovation. The event was recently held virtually in conjunction with the 29th World HRD Congress 2020, one of the largest Human Resource global conferences, where leaders and professionals in Human Resource field from over 133 countries gather to discuss about Human Resource best practices. Meanwhile, earlier in February this year, in conjunction with the 28th World HRD Congress, TM received two (2) more awards namely Best Workplace Practices at the Global HR Excellence Awards and Employer of Choice at the HR Tech Award & Conferences held in Mumbai. Commenting on the awards, Farid Basir, Chief Human Capital Officer, TM said, "As the enabler of Digital Malaysia, these awards are a solid testament of the Company's commitment and efforts in nurturing digitally-skilled Warga TM across all functions. We are also continuously strengthening our employees' capabilities and competencies towards building a future-proof workforce, not only for the Company but also for the country." "The driving force behind our success thus far is our people, Warga TM, who make up the great team within TM. All these acknowledgements are dedicated to their hard work and determination in giving the best to our customers, the communities and to the nation. As an employer of choice, we have put in place various initiatives to develop and equip Warga TM with the necessary skills and knowledge for the future through trainings and upskilling programmes," he added. Besides that, specifically for youths and graduates seeking for job opportunities, TM has also organised various initiatives and programmes which include the Professional Training and Education for Growing Entrepreneurs (PROTÉGÉ) Programme in collaboration with the Government, launching of TM Executive Leadership Industry Trainee (ELIT) programme for Yayasan TM scholars, career webinars and participation in virtual career fairs. This aligns with the Company's aspiration to be positioned as an Employer of Choice for future talents.
unifi introduces five #unificares initiatives as commitment to deliver the unifi promise on customer experience
The initiative is unifi’s commitment to place customer experience as its No. 1 priority With a strengthened commitment to deliver the ultimate customer experience, unifi, Malaysia's leading convergence provider, today introduced five #unificares initiatives to transform its end-to-end customer experience (CX). As a technology company, unifi understands that customer expectations evolve together with the adoption of technology. This is why unifi aims to transform end-to-end customer experience with a renewed focus that ensures the customers' needs are met -- this is the unifi promise. To deliver on this promise, Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM), has invested heavily over the years in both its customer support capabilities and network to deliver the best customer experience possible. The new #unificares initiative is also an expression of the company's commitment towards its loyal client base. unifi has the highest market share in the local Internet Service Provider (ISP) space. Speaking to the media at a virtual briefing from Menara TM today, TM's Chief Marketing Officer, Shanti Jusnita Johari, said #unificares is a testament of the company's continuous efforts to put customers first. "TM and unifi are walking the talk when it comes to customer satisfaction. Our 24-hour service restoration guarantee is the first of its kind in the industry. It is our commitment for unifi customers to continue to get the best broadband experience," said Shanti. She added that unifi's new bold undertaking was in keeping up with users' demands for reliable connectivity, among both the consumers and business segments especially as the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) focus on recovery and growth as well as consumers with continued hybrid working and learning arrangements following the pandemic. A good and reliable broadband access is highly critical in the "new normal". Five revolutionary #unificares initiatives unifi today announced five revolutionary initiatives to raise its game in CX. The 24-hour service restoration guarantee is among five new customer-focused initiatives under the #unificares campaign to enhance its broadband experience by reducing downtime to the absolute minimum. If unable to restore within 24 hours from complaint submission, customers will receive RM50 billing rebate compensation, redeemable via myunifi app within 30 days. It is the first of its kind in the local telecommunication industry and a commitment to its customer first strategy. This 24-hour service restoration guarantee starts 30 November 2021 and compensation eligibility is for customers subscribing to 100Mbps and above. Another innovation introduced with the campaign is unifi's Proactive Service Alert; an early detection and intervention system that ensures early notifications and speed of resolution to customers. Affected customers are alerted for restoration via SMS and the myunifi app push notification. Other customer-focused initiatives introduced in conjunction with the campaign are Easyfix self-serve tool, Service Tracker and unifi Elite experts. Easyfix is an easy visual based self-serve tool that enables customers to self-diagnose and do a quick troubleshoot on internet connection, telephony or unifi TV services. If an issue is unresolved, the Easyfix tool will automatically create a service ticket for immediate action by the unifi Care Crew or connect users to a unifi live chat agent for further assistance. Easyfix can be accessed anytime on the myunifi app under 'Support' or at easyfix.com.my. Service Tracker allows customers to view and track status of service and technical requests in real-time including details of the assigned TM Care Crew, via the myunifi app. Users can easily access the Service Tracker under 'My Activity' from their Account page. unifi Elite is a group of WiFi experts who are specially trained to provide customers with tailor-made consultation and solutions to further enhance their connectivity experience at home or business premises. unifi's track record in CX is well-established. Recently, it has been chosen as the sole Malaysian recipient for the "Brand of the Year'' award for the "Broadband / ISP" category, an award that is held under the auspices of the London-based World Branding Awards. This is the second consecutive year it won the award. Last year, it also won the "Best Fixed Home Broadband Service Provider" and "Best Business Fixed Broadband Service Provider" categories in the PC.com Best Product Awards 2020. TM continues to invest in future growth by modernising its network and technology platforms, to deliver the best current and future. TM is the only telco in Malaysia which has ventured into proactive service capabilities to elevate CX and digital tools to give added convenience to customers. Meanwhile, TM Chief Network Officer, Mohamed Tajul Mohamed Sultan, who was also present at the media briefing said the increase in usage and demand for unifi services following the pandemic had driven the company to up its connectivity game. "Even before this, public feedback shows that unifi's service quality is among the best. But we are not resting on our laurels. We want to raise the bar even higher because customer experience is paramount," added Mohamed Tajul. To achieve this, TM has invested over RM 1 billion in 2021 to uplift the customer experience in both its customer support capabilities and network improvements. This is to ensure that unifi continues to deliver unparalleled solutions to its customers. Users can visit unifi.com.my/unificares for more information on the unifi promise. The myunifi app can be downloaded from the Google Play Store as well as the Apple App Store.
TM R&D Celebrates double win at the global TM Forum Excellence Awards 2020
In-house solutions SWIMS and IDEAS+ received global recognition for the Beyond Connectivity and A.I, Data & Analytics categories respectively Telekom Research & Development Sdn Bhd (TM R&D), the innovation arm of Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM), added another feather to its cap when they recently bagged not one, but two (2) awards at the prestigious TM Forum Excellence Awards 2020. The awards were conferred to TM R&D for its innovative solutions namely Smart Water Integrated Management System (SWIMS) under the Beyond Connectivity and Artificial Intelligence (A.I) category, while its Intelligent Network Diagnostic & Expert Advisory System for Service Desk (IDEAS+) solution received the recognition under Data & Analytics category. Since 2007, TM Forum Excellence Awards recognises the world's leading companies for their innovative achievements spanning digital transformation, business and IT agility, customer centricity, cultural transformation, cross-industry partnering and collaboration, and product and service innovation in AI, data analytics, autonomous networks and cloud native IT. All entries were assessed by a global panel of judges based on the extensive materials submitted. Each year, the judging panels are carefully selected from varied global organisations to ensure a balanced approach and a wholly impartial view. Commenting on the double wins, Dr. Sharlene Thiagarajah, Chief Executive Officer, TM R&D said, "This is certainly a welcomed surprise and a proud moment for us at TM R&D. We are excited that two of our very own internally-developed smart solutions, deployed in collaboration with Air Selangor and Group Customer Experience at TM have been recognised by global industry experts such as TM Forum. Both solutions are now commercially available domestically and to the global market. We believe TM R&D is on the right track to support TM's Digital Malaysia aspirations and simultaneously accelerate Malaysia to become a digital nation." SWIMS is an Internet of Water (IoW) solution, essentially doing for water what Internet of Things (IoT) does for various other industries and verticals. These include electric utilities, transportation, smart cities and factory automation, to enable in-depth, new insights into the operations and the right tools to act on those insights. "SWIMS offers end-to-end smart water management that improves non-revenue water management. It optimises the repair and replacement of ageing water infrastructure as well as improves response to weather events such as water level and quality. Based on feedback we received from Air Selangor, with SWIMS, water usage visibility improved by 3,000% and meter reading accuracy improved 10-15% through automation," shared Dr. Sharlene. The TM Forum Excellence Awards also recognises another solution from TM R&D, IDEAS+ which is a one-stop advisory platform deployed at TM's contact centre. Using machine-learning algorithm, IDEAS+ assists the call centre agents to efficiently troubleshoot and resolve various customer issues. The objectives of the project were to reduce Average Handling Time (AHT) at the contact centre when entertaining customer calls, reduce repeated truck roll, increase the accuracy of troubleshooting and escalation as well as to achieve cost-saving. IDEAS+ is an intelligent diagnostic and advisory system for TM contact centre agents to provide predictive guideline as well as troubleshooting steps with more than 95% accuracy. Established in 2001, TM R&D is the centre of innovation for TM Group focusing on innovations that enriches humanity and bring progress to nations. Growing from strength to strength since 2016, TM R&D has won 15 globally recognised awards and generated more than 2,800 Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) and 1,400 digital assets to-date. TM R&D's innovations all developed in-house cut across multiple verticals such as Utilities, Retail, Agriculture, Healthcare and Education with safety and productivity as the top priority. As TM R&D continues to expand beyond connectivity and into smarter digital ecosystems, its role in TM has become more prominent and exciting. For more information about TM R&D and its products and services, they can be contacted at business@tmrnd.com.my or log on to www.tmrnd.com.my or follow them on LinkedIn (TM Research & Development) for more news and updates.
NEWSLETTER
Just drop your details and stay updated with the world of Telekom Malaysia. We promise – no spam!