The number of adults who are returning to university to pursue new degrees or finish degrees they were unable to complete has increased. With flexible coursework opportunities, fully online education, and new technologies or skills that many adult learners want to learn to enhance their careers, the study-while-working opportunities are endless.
Chin Ga Mei, the Chief Marketing Officer at Curlec is currently pursuing her Master of Business Administration, Learning Simplified postgraduate degree at INTI International University, Nilai.
We recently spoke with two adult students on why they returned to education, and their challenges in doing so. Chin Ga Mei and Gerard Goh, both of whom are postgraduate learners, decided to take their educational achievements a step further as part of their professional development journey.
Ga Mei, the Chief Marketing Officer at Curlec, a FinTech company based in Kuala Lumpur that helps businesses manage recurring payments, is currently pursuing her Master of Business Administration, Learning Simplified (MBA LS) postgraduate degree.
“For most professionals, the decision to pursue a master’s degree often starts with late nights of extensive research into available programmes, a notebook’s worth of pros and cons, countless conversations with confidants, and afternoons spent envisioning all of the professional possibilities that come with a postgraduate degree,” shared Ga Mei, who previously completed her Swiss Higher Diploma in Hospitality Management at the Swiss Hotel Management School, Leysin, Switzerland.
Ga Mei decided to pursue her MBA LS while working as she felt there was lesser financial stress compared to studying full time. “Studying while working has more pros than cons. One of the many pros is that, besides remaining financially stable, I have the opportunity to apply the knowledge that I’ve gained from my job in my studies, and vice versa,” said Ga Mei.
With extensive experience in her field, Ga Mei chose INTI International University’s MBA LS for various reasons.
“While I was looking up postgraduate courses that offer flexible learning options, I came across the MBA LS programme which also appeared to be affordable too. INTI came across as an experienced educational institution that provided an innovative and collaborative teaching system. Through its strong partnerships with global industry leaders, I believe I will soar to greater heights hereafter,” Ga Mei shared.
Prior to working at Curlec, she joined Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts’ corporate traineeship programme in China and then continued working at numerous luxury hotel properties.
Gerard Goh (top row, second from right) returns to education after a 10-year hiatus to better advance himself in his career.
When asked about her learning experience thus far, Ga Mei shared that it had been positive and she attributed that to her lecturers. She was impressed at how knowledgeable the lecturers were in their respective fields.
Thanks to this, Ga Mei is enjoying her student life again.
“I love it. I am an avid-learner and it feels great to be a student again albeit pursuing distance rather than face-to-face learning. My first semester commenced during the Movement Control Order (MCO) and my challenges back then were juggling my personal life, commitments at work and student life at the same time. But at the end of the day, I believe one has to make some sacrifices for a brighter future. Having said that, weekends now are never the same!” joked Ga Mei.
Gerard Goh, another individual with immense determination, perseverance and the desire to do better, only completed his Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) prior to pursuing INTI International University’s Bachelor of Business (Hons) Marketing, Learning Simplified (BBUS LS). Gerard is motivated to continue his studies in order to obtain better educational qualifications and move up the career ladder.
Currently serving as a private school teacher, Gerard believes that it is never too late to study regardless of one’s age. “With the working experiences that I have acquired, I am more confident of understanding the subjects being taught more easily. Furthermore, the BBUS LS programme has helped me widen my knowledge and skills,” said Gerard.
“Returning to education after a long gap is no doubt a difficult move, especially when I need to balance my work, personal life, and studies. It requires self-motivation, sacrifice and most importantly discipline to put aside time to focus on my studies. But I am sure that this will be worth it as it will be an opportunity for me to stand out from the crowd and demonstrate a new set of skills that I pick up along the way,” expressed Gerard about his return to education after completing his SPM more than a decade ago.
The Sabahan also acknowledged that studying at INTI has been good thanks to experienced and helpful lecturers.
“Pursuing the online BBUS LS programme allows me to study without feeling the pressure of my busy schedule due to the flexibility of the course structure. My lecturers have been guiding me from day one and I’m able to grasp the essence of the subject at one go. As we progress through the various subjects, notes are provided to us for revision,” stated Gerard.
Gerard’s advice to younger learners is to prioritize education above everything else.
When asked why, he replied, “Looking back at my past, I found it difficult to land a job due to my limited academic qualification as I immediately rushed to start earning money after completing my high school. I had to work really hard to earn a living and advance in my career pathway because of my lack of qualifications. I would like to urge today’s youngsters to give importance to their education because it will provide them with a good middle ground to kick start their future careers.”