Working adults who seek additional qualifications to enhance their current job position and demands often shy away from pursuing full time higher education programmes. This often arises due to time and financial constraints, as well as other commitments in their already busy lives.
Simon Lee Sze Ming is now studying the Master of Business Administration (MBA) Learning Simplified programme at INTI, after converting his working experience into entry requirements with APEL (A).
However, gaining formal academic credentials is still one of the best ways to increase one’s chances of getting promoted or switching to another career, and served as a means for a professional to break through the career bottleneck.
To fast track the process of producing a competent and employable workforce, the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) introduced the provision of Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL), that enables working adults to convert their non-formal working and life experiences into academic credits. This eases access to postgraduate higher education programmes and also provides recognition for prior experiences as part of a professional learner’s academic journey.
With options for APEL for Access, or APEL (A) for short; and APEL for Credit Awards, or APEL (C), both of which include a systematic process of identification, documentation and assessment of prior experiential learning to determine the extent to which the applicant has achieved the desired learning outcomes, working professional are able to reduce the amount of time spent in pursuing a programme of study and/or award of credits.
Through APEL (A), Simon Lee Sze Ming, 39, senior manager and head of business expansion for South-East Asia of a company in the music industry, smoothly converted his four years’ working experiences as a regional head into an entry requirement for the Master of Business Administration (MBA) Learning Simplified programme at INTI International University.
Before this, the highest academic qualification that Lee held was a diploma in music studies.
“I considered myself lucky to pass at the first APEL (A) attempt. The process was relatively smooth and easy, Ms Susila, the senior executive from the Working Adult Studies Department at INTI was helpful and patient in guiding and assisting me throughout the process, until I was able to successfully enroll in my course,” said Lee.
Applying for the certification of prior experiential learning at MQA involves processes like self-assessments, registration, portfolio submissions as well as aptitude tests. According to the core principles of APEL, converting one’s prior experiential learning should be done through evidence-based, equitable, unbiased, fair, flexible, valid and reliable assessments, hence providing ways for applicants to demonstrate the required outcomes.
Lee made up his mind to study part-time after he accepted an unexpected offer to take up his current regional position as a senior manager for South-East Asia.
“This role focuses on expanding the company’s business to new territories and improve the business in existing markets. As a diploma holder, I always felt that I had good knowledge of the products and sufficient working experiences. However, by accepting a regional business position, I realised that I was under-qualified and lacked formal business management knowledge. This prompted me to look for courses and programmes that would help me to improve, enhance and upgrade myself, and enable me to fill the academic gap that I did not have,” explained Lee.
Reflecting on the challenges of applying for APEL (A) in order to directly enrol for a postgraduate programme, Lee explained, “To prepare for the aptitude test, I spent a few weeks searching for the SPM Bahasa Malaysia and Mathematics questions and revised them. While I had already passed this phase, revising these once more was quite daunting.”
Despite his concerns, Lee passed the test.
With the aims of completing his master’s degree within two years, Lee aspires to contribute positively towards his organisation by applying and implementing the knowledge he has learned from the MBA course.
“Pursuing the MBA also helps me to set an example to my son that learning has no age limit and boundaries. I also hope to enhance my personal growth and go further in my career. I hope to one day make it as a C-suite executive in a global organisation,” enthused Lee.
INTI’s specially designed programmes for working professionals gives them flexibility in arranging their class schedules, provides learning materials through online platforms that they can access at any time, and allows them to revise and study at their own pace while juggling other priorities.
Ng Kien Khai, a Diploma in Business Management – Flexible Learning student, benefited from APEL (A) by converting his 13 years working experience in sales to access his part-time studies.
Ng Kien Khai, 38, who is from the sales profession, benefited from APEL (A) recently when he successfully converted his SPM qualification plus thirteen years of sales experiences into an entry requirement to study the Diploma in Business Management – Flexible Learning programme at INTI.
“After working for so many years, I needed to get credentials in higher learning to climb the corporate ladder. I also realised I would have better job opportunities if I had a stronger educational background,” said Ng, who found that the process of applying for APEL (A) was easier through INTI, as the staff in charge gave him detailed information and tips on submitting his application online.
“Whenever I had queries on the application process INTI’s representatives gave me a great deal of assistance and communicated with me via WhatsApp and phone calls,” shared Ng gratefully.
He continued, “Although it was tough while preparing for the aptitude tests, I was grateful that most of the questions were merely testing my general knowledge and not so complicated. Finally, I passed APEL and was able to join INTI’s diploma programme!”
According to the Malaysian Qualifications Framework, APEL (A) provides an alternative entry route to studying a certificate programme if the applicant passes the Level 3 aptitude test; whereas Level 4 is for those pursuing a diploma; Level 6 for those pursuing a Bachelor’s degree and Level 7 for those enrolling into a master’s degree programme.
INTI International University & Colleges is one of the few tertiary institutions in Malaysia that offer APEL courses through INTI’s Working Adult programmes. It was also the first private institution to obtain MQA’s approval to implement APEL (C) for its programmes and has been offering this to adult learners since 2016.
“After being in the job market for so long, I realised that education really matters at work and I wanted better job security when I grow older. For working adults who struggle in their current situation, I would like to say – just do it! Don’t hesitate as it only takes a year or two to complete your studies!” advised Ng.