KUCHING: Students need to develop strong communication skills alongside technical knowledge to better prepare themselves for the demands of the industry.
Plaza Merdeka senior executive of Marketing and Communications and Public Relations manager Leovel Sam Avenido said the Innovation Project and Technology Exhibition (iPROTECH) 2026 provided students with an opportunity to practise those skills by presenting their projects.
He added that students could use the exhibition to build confidence in presenting their work while learning how to respond to questions and communicate their ideas more clearly.
“Sometimes technicalities are just one part of the important cycle in the system.
“But how you communicate, how you deliver the programme, how you deliver what is it all about is very important,” he said in his speech during the event held at the mall here today (Sept 8).
He encouraged them not to be afraid of questions, saying they could learn through conversations when they encountered areas they were less familiar with.
“When you’re presenting a project today, do not be afraid to talk about the project, give us information, ideas on how you do it,” he said.
He also pointed to landscape projects as an example where attention to detail was important, saying requirements from project coordinators could involve small details that needed to be communicated clearly.
Meanwhile, Mas Gading Community College director Estree Ishak said the exhibition held at Plaza Merdeka served as a dedicated platform for the Mas Gading final-year students from the Information Technology and Landscape units to showcase their capstone innovation projects.
He added presenting their projects to industry judges and members of the public also allowed students to strengthen their communication, presentation and pitching skills.
The experience, he added, helped bridge classroom learning with real-world industry demands to prepare graduates to be more confident and competitive in the job market.
Estree also said the formalisation of the collaboration between Mas Gading Community College and Plaza Merdeka marked a significant milestone for the college.
He said establishing ties with industry partners was important in advancing technical education and community engagement.
“Plaza Merdeka’s support also strengthens the relationship between educational institutions, industry and the community through industry exposure, interactive learning and opportunities to carry out programmes together.
“Through this collaboration, we aim to strengthen industry exposure, provide interactive learning opportunities for our students, and lay the foundation for future joint events and community outreach programmes,” he said.
Earlier, a total of 17 exhibition booths involving students from the Certificate in Landscape and Certificate in Information Technology (STM) programmes showcased projects related to the Internet of Things (IoT), websites, mobile applications and artificial intelligence (AI).
The event also featured the signing of a collaboration between Mas Gading Community College and Plaza Merdeka.
