AN education at higher learning institutions equips graduates with the formal knowledge to advance in their careers.
However, the lack of opportunities or the need to earn an income may rule out this route, forcing individuals into the working world much sooner.
But later — with a wealth of experience under their belt — they may decide to pursue higher education. Will they be able to bank on the expertise they have acquired through years in the workplace to pursue studies at levels appropriate to them?
Or will they have to go back to where they left off — rely only on their highest formal education, with their achievements in the workplace and non-formal learning coming to nought?
CAREER ADVANCEMENT
This was the predicament faced by musician and gambus/oud expert Raja Zulkarnain Raja Mohd Yusof when he wanted to advance his career in the academic sector.
Like many of his secondary school buddies during his growing up years in Muar, Johor in the 80s, Raja Zulkarnain was enamoured with the guitar. But instead of just strumming the “rock kapak” chart-toppers of the day, he wanted to learn to play properly.
So he learnt as much as he could for a boy living in Muar at that time while setting his sights on pursuing the renowned Diploma in Music programme at Institut Teknologi MARA (now Universiti Teknologi MARA/UiTM) in Shah Alam, Selangor after his Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia exams.
“I was called for an interview but was rejected,” said the 45-year-old.”But I promised myself I would go back one day to the school to teach.”
Raja Zulkarnain then packed his bags and ventured to Kuala Lumpur. After doing odd jobs, he landed a position at a bank. At night, he trawled the city music scene, learnt to play the guitar from musician friends and books that he purchased.
“In the late 90s, I attended an interview and gained entry into a six-month foundation music programme in Perth, Australia. Then in 1998, I got an offer to study in the United Kingdom. I dropped everything, returned to Malaysia and then went to London,” he said.
He pursued a diploma programme at the Institute of Contemporary Music Performance in London, majoring in popular music performance with the guitar as his major instrument.
He completed the course and married a Bruneian, also a student, while in London.
“While I was waiting for my wife to finish her studies, I planned my return to Malaysia. Having been away from the music scene, I knew it would be hard to compete with the more established guitarists in the industry. So I thought I should master another instrument that not many know how to play,” he added.
One day, while strolling down Denmark Street, a hangout for musicians in London, he dropped into a music shop called Hobgoblin.
“I knew of the shop but I had never entered it. Then I saw the oud (gambus in Malay), an instrument popular in Johor. I bought it and contacted Ahmed Mukhtar, an Iraqi musician, through the shop owner.”
Raja Zulkarnain learnt the Arabic method of playing the oud for two years. “I didn’t even know the Malaysian style,” said Raja Zulkarnain, adding that he applied the techniques of playing the guitar — knowing the chords and calculating tempo — to the oud.
After his return to Malaysia in 2002, he got a job with the Subang Jaya Municipal Council orchestra combo as a gambus player.
While looking to expand his jobskill in the art of playing the gambus, he discovered that classes at the National Arts Academy were lacking in method and technique, and students only learnt Malay songs. He approached the head of department Ramlan Imam and shared that the students needed to be taught the proper method. “We were on the same page. Two weeks later, he invited me to teach at the academy.”
Raja Zulkarnain also taught the gambus course at UiTM, realising the promise he made to himself years ago.
“I taught diploma students while I only had the same qualification. By right, I should be a degree holder to do so. I didn’t have the right qualification.”
He made time to attend Cairo’s prestigious Beit Al-Oud Al-Arabi music school to enhance his knowledge, making him the first Malaysian to study there. He has made four trips to Egypt to attend classes by experts in the field.
TALENT SCHEME
In 2005, the National Arts Academy evolved into the National Arts Culture and Heritage Academy and offered degree programmes. Raja Zulkarnain continued to serve as teaching staff. “I was not qualified for the job but the academy has a talent scheme, where it forgoes the requirement for a degree and takes experience into account.”
In 2010, with the end of his contract at the academy, he taught at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris.
“I developed the applied instrumental study programme for diploma students, who can select their instrument of choice. I even taught master’s students the gambus although it was inappropriate.
“The Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) programme, which was newly introduced by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency then, took into account my experience to qualify me for a master’s course,” he said.
He could have pursued a master’s programme at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) School of Arts but would have to complete the degree course first.
“I didn’t want to waste time at my age. I’d rather work and get experience,” said Raja Zulkarnain on his decision to forgo studies at USM.
He submitted his APEL application and sat an aptitude test. “There were 100 questions in four sections: Bahasa Melayu, English, Mathematics and General Knowledge. Questions for candidates of the master’s course are naturally at degree level — a Level 7 qualification,” he said, adding that he was called for an interview after he passed the test.
“I was interviewed by USM School of Arts Datuk Professor Emeritus Dr Mohd Ghouse Nasaruddin, University of Malaya (UM) Cultural Centre Associate Professor Dr Mohd Nasir Hashim and two other panellists. I brought along my book, Oud Warisan Seni Dari Timur Tengah, and shared my experience. It is mostly all about selling yourself.”
Raja Zulkarnain was awarded the APEL A (Admission) certificate which provides opportunities for individuals with working experience to pursue higher education. At the end of 2014, he started the Master of Arts in Musicology programme at UM under the supervision of Mohd Nasir. The 18-month full research programme is funded by MyBRAIN15, a scholarship programme managed by the Higher Education Ministry, and his paper on gambus performance is titled Amalan Taksim Gambus Dalam Lagu-lagu Melayu di Johor.
“I have an offer to pursue my PhD at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London. Once I finish my master’s, I will take it up,” he said.
He added that continuing education or lifelong learning is important, especially for musicians.
“Some musicians teach or set up restaurants. Those who pursue higher education get the credentials.”
Currently the president of the Malaysian Gambus Association, Raja Zulkarnain is a lecturer at the National Conservatory of Arts — an organisation that offers art, culture and heritage courses on music, dance and theatre.
MATURE STUDENTS
After Wendy Lai completed the Chartered Institute of Marketing diploma course in 1995, she promptly joined the workforce. Though she wanted to pursue a degree programme, she felt that she should no longer burden her father who funded her studies.
“I was very fortunate — it did not take long to find my first job, which was at a Taiwanese firm with a local office. However, the company folded during the financial crisis. I then worked at Nielsen, the company which tracks consumer market trends, circulation, etc for two years,” said Lai.
She then joined Mars, a fast moving consumer goods company, where she stayed for 13 years, growing from a junior position to a regional marketing role.
Keen to pursue business management, she joined a division at 3M to monitor profit and loss. “I had good mentors. But I wanted to pursue the Master of Business Administration (MBA) programme.”
But it was not until she is assistant vice-president (marketing) at INTI International University & Colleges that she found out about online MBA programmes, including one offered at her workplace.
“An online course fits my lifestyle. I have a 9-year-old daughter and a 6-year-old son. We do homework together,” she said.
As she is not a degree-holder, the programme coordinator advised her to get an assessment from MQA to qualify for the APEL programme. “At first, I was at a loss. Fortunately, an MQA officer helped me with the application.”
There are three parts to the process: an assessment to gauge aptitude, submission of a portfolio to cover work experience and an interview. “There were two professors at the interview. They recognised the commitment and discipline to pursue studies after my 20 years in the workforce.”
Lai received a Level 7 APEL A certificate to join the MBA programme. She was also awarded the APEL C (credit transfer) for her specialisation in marketing, giving her a waiver on the marketing module.
After the three-month process, Lai enrolled in the two-year part-time MBA (Simplified Learning) course at INTI in October 2015.
“At work, you attend meetings, talk about markets and the competition, and you learn over time what to do and what to look out for. In structured learning like the MBA programme, you learn the theories.”
Lai believes that work experience is an advantage to her studies. “People ask me the reason why I take up the MBA course. I appreciate the chance to study and expand my knowledge. You don’t know how far you can go if you don’t try.”
On whether she is intimidated by younger students who are degree holders, Lai said everyone has their own strength. “Mature students have experience in industry but lack knowledge of theories. These differences add value in class.”
On family and work balance now that she is juggling a career and studies, Lai said she sets an example when she studies with her children.
“The online course allows me to study wherever and whenever with a device.”
Promoting lifelong learning
MALAYSIAN Qualifications Agency (MQA) chief executive officer Datuk Professor Dr Rujhan Mustafa said it is committed to the concept of and the plans for lifelong learning.
It has facilitated lifelong learning via the Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) (A-Admission) which enables adult learners, who lack formal qualification but have extensive experience, to continue their studies.
APEL(C — Credit Transfer) helps those in APEL (A) to translate their experience into credits to be transferred into the programmes they are enrolled in.
“Some 1,597 people applied for APEL (A) last year. We are redoubling our efforts to reach out to target groups outside the Klang Valley so that more are able to upskill or reskill themselves to face new workplace challenges,” he added.
Wawasan Open University and Open University Malaysia are the assessment centres authorised by MQA for APEL(A). The four Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) authorised to carry out credit transfers using APEL(C) are University Technology MARA, Open University Malaysia, Wawasan Open University and INTI International University.
Rujhan said more HEIs are keen to join the list and this year will see more authorised HEIs taking advantage of the APEL(C) flexibility.