Preparing for the future: Petronas BeDigital Bootcamp empowers young graduates to meet job market demands

WHEN Clairedora Jezreel John first finished her university final exams last year, she thought of returning to her hometown in Uma Bakah, Sungai Asap in Belaga for a short break.

However, an unexpected opportunity came along when a friend working at Petronas introduced her to the company’s BeDigital Bootcamp, a two-week curated programme aimed at strengthening local undergraduates’ digital literacy to enhance employability while meeting the demands of current and future job markets.

“I was initially hesitant to join the bootcamp as the programme was held two weeks after my final exams and I had thought of going back to relax.

“But my friend insisted, saying it was a great opportunity for job prospects,” the 24-year-old Kenyah told The Borneo Post.

Despite her initial reluctance, Clairedora decided to give the boot camp a shot where she would discover that her decision would prove to be life changing.

“The bootcamp was one of the most unforgettable experiences of my life. We gained new skills such as data analysis using Power BI, creating 3D images, and learnt how to enhance our CVs.

“One of my favourite sessions was discovering our personalities through a test and we had a lot of fun learning about each other’s personalities especially when we acted out scenarios and presented them to the other participants.

“Mohd Nizam Ahmad or Pak Tam as we affectionately call him, who is the talent development manager at Petronas, did a great job in highlighting each participant’s unique traits and knowledge. We learnt a lot from him,” she said.

She pointed out that Nizam also guided the participants on improving their CVs and mastering interview techniques.

“I learnt a lot during this session which significantly enhanced my CV and interview preparation skills.

“We made our CVs more ‘ATS-friendly’ which is the Applicant Tracking System and learnt to brand ourselves by adding strong points,” she said.

While Clairedora enjoyed her time at the bootcamp, she admitted that there were also some low points during her stint there and almost felt like giving up due to the intensive schedule.

“But the support of my beloved family, amazing friends, and helpful facilitators kept me going until the end.

“I love meeting new friends from different faculties like business, science and language. I also met other students from other universities like Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Sarawak, Curtin University Malaysia (Curtin) and Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus (Swinburne Sarawak),” she said.

After the bootcamp, Clairedora managed to land her dream job at Sarawak Energy where today she is an engineer under the utility company’s Planning and Project Section at Sarawak Energy station in Syarikat SESCO Berhad (Sesco), Sibu.

“It has been an interesting eight months since I started my duties here. My main job scope involves supervising and monitoring ongoing Additional Late Applicant Fund (ALAF) projects in the rural areas of Sibu and Selangau.

“I ensure that the projects assigned to the contractors are completed within the time frame, complying with the company’s health, safety, security and environment (HSSE) standards and that all work installations adhere to Sarawak Energy’s project requirements,” she said.

She said that joining Petronas BeDigital Bootcamp enabled her to transition from student life to the workforce quickly.

“The two-week programme gave me a glimpse into the realities of the working environment. I learnt valuable skills such as time management, stress handling and navigating different perspectives and opinions.

“I was also able to apply valuable skills acquired from the bootcamp in my work such as task management, time management, problem-solving, decision-making and communication.

“I find that these skills align with Sarawak Energy’s core values and leadership competencies and are essential when meeting new people and working within a team,” she said.

She added that one of the biggest lessons she learned from the bootcamp was to step out of her comfort zone.

“When you feel like you cannot do something or are not competent enough, that’s precisely when you should challenge yourself and strive for continuous improvement.

“You don’t have to worry whether you will succeed or not. The key is to make the effort. As the saying goes, it’s better to die trying than to never try at all.”

Clairedora encouraged students to sign up for the bootcamp which she says will be an experience they would never forget.

“I’ve been promoting Petronas BeDigital Bootcamp to not only my family and friends, but also to people that I have met occasionally.

“For me, the programme not only enhanced the marketability in getting jobs, but also builds confidence and improves a variety of skills that are not typically covered in traditional studies,” she said.

Sarawak Energy Human Resource Department recruitment and resourcing manager Sim Swee Ling said as a hiring partner in Petronas BeDigital Bootcamp, Sarawak Energy has been able to identify talented young Sarawakians like Clairedora who meet the company’s talent acquisition requirements and are well prepared to work for a company like Sarawak Energy, which is Malaysia’s largest renewable energy developer.

“Sarawak Energy has always been collaborative and supportive in various nationwide initiatives in upskilling the graduates and also providing employment opportunities to the local community.

“So, we are pleased to be invited as a partner for Petronas BeDigital Bootcamp again this year, which marks our second year in participating in this programme,” she said.

She said Sarawak Energy views its participation in the bootcamp as a collaborative effort to give back to the society by strengthening the digital literacy and enhancing employment readiness among the graduates so that they are more prepared for the job market.

“As the largest employer of Sarawakian talents, it is actually our top priority to nurture local talents.

“We are very excited to partner with Petronas on the BeDigital Bootcamp which aims to identify outstanding Sarawakian graduates who are ready to work in a company like Sarawak Energy.”

She also commended the bootcamp committee who made sure to keep partners like Sarawak Energy informed of the programme’s progress as well as on participants who were very well selected to fulfil the requirements of respective partners.

“At Sarawak Energy, we really seek outstanding local talents who have excellent academic results and leadership qualities demonstrating great teamwork and adaptability to different environments. We view this collaboration with Petronas as a beneficial effort for both parties.

“For Petronas, they enhance the graduates’ employability by upskilling their digital skills and they can scout for talents directly from various universities while for Sarawak Energy, we can actually acquire talents who are empowered and equipped with digital competency. This also aligns with our motto, Powering Young Minds,” she said.

Sim shared that from last year’s cohort, Sarawak Energy has hired three electrical engineer graduates who are now based in different regions in Sibu and Bintulu as well as Kuching.

“Based on feedback, the supervisors have been very impressed with their learning agility and also leadership qualities which are really critical in today’s workforce requirements.

“It might be a little too early to measure their contribution to the company as they are just in their first year of service.

However, the outlook has been very positive so that’s why we are participating again this year,” she said.

Apart from Sarawak Energy, Sakura Ferroalloys Sdn Bhd in Bintulu also participated in the bootcamp last year.

The company’s head of Human Resources Department Chelsea Kennedy said the Petronas BeDigital Bootcamp has been making waves in empowering young graduates by strengthening their digital literacy skills and improving their employability, particularly for Sarawak’s younger generation.

She said this programme is seen as a crucial step in aligning with the state’s Post Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030 and the nation’s new Industry Masterplan 2030.

“Participating in the BeDigital Bootcamp Cohort 4 last year has been a valuable experience. It provided us with the opportunity to connect with a diverse pool of campers who were eager to continuously learning and grow.

“I was able to observe firsthand the capabilities and potential of the campers through networking events,” she said.

She added that the bootcamp had demonstrated the inclusivity where the presence and perspectives of different groups of campers were valued and integrated into an environment that is harmony and equal.

On Sakura Ferroalloys’ decision to join the bootcamp as one of the partners, Chelsea said Petronas, a dynamic global company with an international presence, offers a competitive edge in the talent acquisition market.

She said associating with such a well-known, globally recognised entity allows companies to learn from each other’s best practices, strategies, and approaches to talent acquisition, ultimately leading to better outcomes for both organisations.

This partnership, she said, has transformed the perception of Petronas from a rival to a collaborator in the talent acquisition strategy.

Chelsea, who is from Kapit, said the qualifications, performance, and skills of the campers have been impressive.

“They demonstrated capabilities aligned with organisational requirements, and their enthusiasm for the roles was palpable during the interview process.

“Although the campers were not successfully onboarded, the effort and thought put into selecting them for consideration were greatly appreciated,” she said.

According to her, through this collaborative effort with Petronas, companies like Sakura Ferroalloys can leverage the resources, expertise, and network of Petronas to support their vision of finding a potential talent pool and becoming the company of choice.

“We are able to tap into a larger talent pool, access to specialised skills and knowledge as well as gain exposure to a wider audience of potential candidates,” she said.

Additionally, she said Sakura Ferroalloys has gained recognition from many educational institutions and BeDigital Bootcamp hiring partners.

She added corporate partners can play a significant role in supporting the state’s and nation’s digital aspirations.

By providing expertise, resources, and technology solutions, she said they can help government agencies develop and implement digital strategies effectively.

She added initiatives like the Petronas BeDigital Bootcamp can improve the skills of young graduates, and corporate social responsibility programmes can work towards bridging the digital divide by ensuring access to digital technologies and services for all citizens, especially underserved communities in Sarawak.

“My wish for the bootcamp is that all campers who participate in this programme to work hard, support each other and grow both personally and professionally during the programme.

“I hope they come out of the camp with new skills and confidence. Bravo to Petronas for making this programme a success,” she said.

This year, the Petronas BeDigital Bootcamp expands its coverage to benefit more young graduates across the nation, covering the northern and southern region.

In Sarawak, the bootcamp is currently held at Swinburne Sarawak from July 29 to August 9 where a total of 99 students from seven universities in the state and 26 hiring partners from various organisations will be involved.