Some advice...

The following are my tips for PRACTICUM STUDENTS:

1. Be pro-active, keep asking for work. If you see something that they do that you feel you can do, volunteer to do it for them (but MAKE SURE you are careful and avoid making mistakes). Jobs like data entry, filing, etc. Take easy jobs first, and then move on to harder ones like designing a database system, building a website/portal, etc. But remember, you are MOT students, and NOT engineering, IT, accounting, etc. students.

2. Be patient. If they give you a difficult job, calm down, do not panic. Sit down in front of the computer and do research, find information about your problem from Google. See if you can find a solution. If you can’t, then ask the supervisor more about solving the problem. LEARN before ASKING... supervisors get frustrated if you don’t take the effort to learn about the problem.

3. Keep a record of ALL your work/activities. Normally it involves a description, objective, scope of work, duration, and achievement. Also add extra comments (like your feelings, observations, etc.).

4. Think about what you can contribute to the company (this will be the main topic of your report). Can you introduce something new (like a management style/system, a database system, etc.) or help to make recommendations for improving the old (like updating their 5S, simplify data entry method, etc.). Always remember to look at point number 2 above. A good source would be to talk to other employees and listen to their complaints. Sometimes they might complain about the office layout (5S), upper management direction (strategic planning, Ishikawa fishbone, etc.), anti-virus problem (updating), poor management (management styles), inventory record problem (database), etc.

5. Be independent. Do not rely on others to make your practicum a valuable experience. Ask, ask, and ask... for work, for advice, etc., and share... experiences, ideas, etc. This is the time to explore and develop the soft-skills that you have picked up in UUM. Be a team player when needed, and lead when the opportunity arises. Practice your communication skills, where possible in English, and your people management skills (how to manage your boss, colleagues, customers, etc.).

Anyways, that is all for now, wishing you all the best.