آموزش صنعتی : مطالعه ای بر اثربخشی آن در میان دانشجویان دوره کارشناسی دانشکده مطالعات اسلامی

Industrial Training or (IT) is one of the compulsory courses for students at the Faculty of Islamic Studies. The objective of the course is to enhance the quality of graduates by exposing them early to the reality of the working world. After a number of years of its implementation the course needs to be reviewed in order to make room for further improvements as it has proven itself as having a great impact. The research was carried out with the main objective of determining the effectiveness of IT programme among students of the Faculty of Islamic Studies (FIS) of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) as well as to understand the principle underlying the concept of IT. For this purpose 110 questionnaires were distributed to third year students of various departments in FIS. The selected group of students comprised of those who have gone through their IT at the end of their fourth semester of studies. The research is further supported by a series of interviews with a number of stake holders and a comprehensive reference work at the library to gather supporting materials on the concept and the philosophical basis of IT. Data collected from the questionnaire survey was analyzed through the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, (SPSS). The research findings show that IT has been very positive in terms of re-shaping the attitude of students from FIS. Suggestions made by students involved in the survey were also taken into account to further improve the implementation of IT. The suggestions will definitely help in minimizing future problems related to IT.

IT is one of the compulsory courses at the Faculty of Islamic Studies (FIS) in UKM that is offered to all students. The course is expected to produce quality graduates by exposing them to a work experience while still studying at the university. Industrial attachment is an exercise that was implemented by the university to ensure that students are exposed to a brief work experience before they graduate and enter the competitive job market. By familiarizing themselves with the industry students will have a better understanding of the work situation apart from making early contact and establishing valuable network with their future employers (Student Handbook Faculty of Islamic Studies, 2005). Through IT students are also exposed to the details of an organizational set-up and its internal management, a valuable asset that will assist them in finding better placement with their future employers. The exercise shows that the relationship between “theory and practice” has the potential to re-shape students in terms of their interpersonal and intrapersonal skills. On this initiative the course was introduced to the faculty (Student Handbook Faculty of Islamic Studies, 2008). Specifically the objectives of the course are to produce graduates who are: Capable of applying their basic and specific knowledge they acquired at the university to the real work situation; Capable of discharging their work and responsibilities efficiently; Capable of working in a group and of assuming leadership; Capable of doing administrative work and management with a keen interest to learn something new continuously; Capable of effective communication and Endowed with good professional ethics and a sense of responsibility.

On the whole the research conducted has revealed the level of understanding on IT at the Faculty of Islamic Studies. The programme has the objective of producing students that are capable of applying their knowledge, acquired in various academic disciplines, to real-life work situation after they have left the university. By having an early exposure to the work situation students would be better equiped to face the challenge of a competitive job market as soon as they have graduated. The implementation of IT that covers several aspects of personality development and enhancement seems to be very satisfactory. The three-month period of attachment is sufficient and long enough to enable students gain early exposure to work situation. The placement period that takes place duirng the semester break does not put a heavy burden on the part of the students. Respondents were quite happy with the choice of agency made by IT secretariat as it is very relevant to their field of studies. The exposure has also enhanced the level of professionalism of the graduate as they enter the job market. The availability of Student Information System for Industrial Training also contribute a lot to the management of IT online while the level of supervision by UKM staff was satisfactory. Nevertheless, there are other areas that need to be re-examined more closely, such as the increase in the time period of IT placement and the frequency of field supervison. These are added values that can help to make IT programme more meaningful both to students and potential employers, but these are very much dependent on the availability of financial resources and other factors. So far IT programme has been a success. However, if this added values can be incorporated in future IT exercise, graduating students would stand to reap more benefit in terms of personality development and career enhancement.