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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol.7, No.12
Publication Date: December 25, 2020
DOI:10.14738/assrj.712.9518. Omar, S., Hashim, N., Azman, F., & Rahman, R. (2020). Smart Bubbles Laundry: The Implementation of Industry on Campus Approach in
Sungai Petani Community College. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 7(12) 528-536.
Smart Bubbles Laundry: The Implementation of Industry on Campus
Approach in Sungai Petani Community College
Suriyaty Omar
Hospitality Department, Sungai Petani Community College, Kedah, Malaysia
Nurhafizah Hashim
Hospitality Department, Sungai Petani Community College, Kedah, Malaysia
Faraashikin Azman
Hospitality Department, Sungai Petani Community College, Kedah, Malaysia
Reezlin Rahman
Hospitality Department, Sungai Petani Community College, Kedah, Malaysia
ABSTRACT
This conceptual paper was developed to illustrate the planning and
implementation of the Industry on Campus (IOC) at Sungai Petani
Community College. In general, the IOC was designed based on the basic
concepts developed by the Department of Education Polytechnic and
Community College, Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia. The IOC's
implementation at the Sungai Petani Community College was
implemented through the one of the SPCC Niche Area, which is Laundry
service in the cluster of Hotel Operation. The IOC in Sungai Petani
Community College involves collaboration with the industries; D’Kota
Resources and MD Chan Enterprise is a form of strategic collaboration
to develop high-skilled human resources from the institution to the
industries. All the efforts and commitments in regards to the IOC
approach at Smart Bubble Laundry have been reported in this paper as
pilot project documentation for the new education concept for TVET
education. It is hoped that companies' and institutions' continuous
efforts will contribute to high marketability workers, the national
economy, and the community's social life.
Keywords: Collaboration, Industry on Campus, TVET, Polytechnic and
Community College
INTRODUCTION
As a potential economic growth country, Malaysia cannot escape from the growth and changes of
the industrial revolution in this millennium world that need highly skilled human capital to confront
the industry's needs and requirement [1]. The Technical and Vocational Education (TVET) system
has become a priority for the country to support the industrial sector as the country's economic
income. Therefore, Malaysia has introduced the TVET education system, which aims to support and
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Omar, S., Hashim, N., Azman, F., & Rahman, R. (2020). Smart Bubbles Laundry: The Implementation of Industry on Campus Approach in Sungai Petani
Community College. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 7(12) 528-536.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.712.9518 529
provide a competent workforce in certain critical areas of the industry due to the urgent need from
the industries [2].
This drastic requirement in providing semi-skilled and skilled labour in industrial areas must be
driven by technical and vocational training institutions such as Giat Mara, National Youth Skills
Institute, Vocational College, Technical University and including Polytechnic and Community
College Malaysia [3]. In response, the Department of Polytechnic and Community College (JPPKK),
under the Ministry of Education Malaysia, has taken the initiative to encourage each institution
under JPPKK to collaborate with the industry to deliver their teaching-learning systems [4].
Collaboration with the industry is crucial to expose students to the latest culture, applications,
technologies and tools used in the industry [5]. By collaborating with the industries, students will
be trained in a real work environment in Higher Education Institutes (HEIs).
Apart from that, not all colleges and institutes can provide facilities and equipment comparable to
the latest facilities, equipment and technologies in the industry [6]. It is due to financial constraints
on purchasing the equipment and technologies that require high expenditure. In implementing
vocational training and education, each institution must have sufficient and quality infrastructure
with an effective curriculum implementation [7]. Besides, the cost of technical and vocational
education is high for purchasing advanced infrastructure and engineering equipment [8]. One of the
solutions to this problem is to work with the industry, and collaboration is the best critical resource
for the institution to bridging the gap [9].
PROBLEM STATEMENT
The Department of Polytechnic and Community College (JPPKK) is the principal body of all
polytechnics and community colleges in Malaysia. The department is responsible for providing the
facilities, human resources and education systems such as curriculum and syllabus for all courses
offered to students that attending polytechnics and community colleges. All teaching and learning
processes are implemented to qualify students to graduate in their chosen field, which focuses on
technical and vocational education. Polytechnics and community colleges are designed on specific
institutional functions. The Polytechnic's role is to provide students with professional education
and training in the areas offered to support the nation's need plus a management skill to produce
middle technical management such as a supervisor while Community College, the objective of the
operation is to provide a semi-skilled workforce to fill in the job vacancies in Malaysia through
various respective fields. Besides, the function of the Community College is to serve not only a full- time certificate's student but also the communities in terms of providing skills, up skilling and
reskilling [10]. Both institutions aspire to produce skilled, ethical, and responsible graduates in line
with the National Philosophy of Education [4].
Concerning produce semi-skilled workforce; therefore, the process should include theory and
practical learning in the modules for each semester. The teaching and learning method at
Community College is prioritizing to hands-on approach in line with industry standards
requirement [11]. This effort requires a dynamic approach to engaging with the niche industry
purposely to enhance student competencies and industry-driven. Despite that, some of the pre- study observation highlights the findings that: a) when students undergo practical training in the
classroom; students are unable to perceive the actual industrial environment. Therefore, the
learning process is not fully accessible to the students and makes them less skilled in the real work;
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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol.7, Issue 12, December-2020
b) Equipment handling is also a disadvantage for students as they still use and operate equipment
that is lagging compared to the equipment used in the industry. The impact of this problem will
make community college graduates less marketable and facing rejection due to incompetency skills.
Collaboration between industry and community colleges through the industry on-campus methods
will greatly assist students in their real industry exposure while still learning. The collaboration
between industry and community colleges also gives students, faculty and the industry itself an
advantage as well as helping local communities in terms of technology transfer and up-to-date
methods. By implementing this method, some questions are raised to design the application for
proper operation: a) What type of industry can be worked out through collaboration with Sungai
Petani Community College? And b) What are the niche areas and companies relevant to the
implementation of the hospitality area at Sungai Petani Community College? Based on these
questions, a conceptual study of industry application in institutions was conducted as one of the
alternatives to make the operation and teaching and learning in Hospitality subject more dynamic
and holistic [12].
Therefore, the Sungai Petani Community college takes a step forward by developing an IOC training
center that caters to the industry's needs and requirements. With that, the Hotel operation program
introduced a new training method with industry experts in line with current practice, teaching, and
learning. This method has been declared a modern teaching technical and vocational education
technique used by developing countries to face industry revolution 4.0.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Collaboration
According to Kamus Dewan dan Bahasa, collaboration refers to working with someone or a group
to do something to achieve a certain objective [13]. In other words, it is a combination of two
different parties that aims to achieve a common goal. Likewise, in the field of education, the co- operation of education between industry and institutions has been an important issue with various
studies being developed to achieve the goals of smart partnerships between both parties. In sum,
collaboration is a process that emphasizes the sharing of information, resources and responsibilities
in interpreting the planning and execution of a common goal between the two parties. In this regard,
the establishment of the Industry on Campus (IOC) at the Sungai Petani Community College is
particularly relevant today as one of the collaboration processes.
TVET
TVET stands for Technical and Vocational Education Training. In particular, TVET refers to
education and training that leads to the industry’s practice [14]. From a human resource
perspective, TVET is recognized as one of the aspirations of a developed nation. Therefore, Malaysia
needs to practice this TVET to have its skilled workforce and reduce dependence on foreign workers
to achieve developed country status. With this in mind, TVET has high potential and offers lucrative
salary compared to academic graduates who have proven successful in developed countries such as
Europe and Singapore [15].
The TVET education process is geared towards an industry that requires a highly trained and skilled
workforce. In line with this, the TVET scope in Malaysia is based on national employment standards,
emphasizing practical components, psychomotor skills and training exposure in the industry [16].