After SPM - what's next?

Once I brought my family to meet up close with Prof Dr Muhaya, an ophthalmologist by profession and an inspirational speaker by passion. Two of my children were with me together with my wife. During the meeting Prof Dr Muhaya asked my children what they were going to be, my son responded "Accountant" and my daughter "Lecturer". Prof Dr Muhaya then said, "Children, why don't you want to become a doctor? Be a doctor, it is a good profession".

The question of "What you want to be?" is very common to children. Most parents in Malaysia would stress on Science and would dream for their children to become an engineer or a doctor. They will also derive great satisfaction if their children are in this stream. The sense of pride will be expanded if their children are in boarding school and eventually will go abroad to further their study.

My experience on boarding school was not so rosy and nice. I had my eldest son in Sekolah Tunku Abdul Rahman, STAR Ipoh. After a year, I took him out and put him in a normal school after I noticed that the school was not providing learning and education but stressing and pressing on scoring As in exams. As a result, my son was still happy with this decision and he also managed to do well in his studies even though he was in a normal school. He had straight As in PMR and 5 As in SPM. He is now pursuing a law degree in UiTM.

My experience when I was small was more of an old school. When I was schooling I could not decide what I would want to be. Doctor and Engineer are the common answers I would give when I was asked. This was more following the concept that "anything Science is good".

However when I was in High School, I slowly had an ambition to become a businessman and a politician. The reason for this was because I believe in one of the sayings of Prophet Muhammad pbuh, which means: "9 out of 10 live provisions are from business". While my passion with politics started when I was in standard four. It came after one of my neighbours, Arwah Makcik Sawiyah came over to my house to campaign for PEKEMAS (Parti Keadilan Masyarakat) candidate, Cikgu Ishak Surin. The party was then led by the late Tan Sri Dr Tan Chee Khoon.

I eventually went to further my study in Engineering, then Mathematics, then Business and eventually HR. I am now neither in Engineering nor Mathematics, partly Business and remotely HR. Although I did not fully realised my ambition, the experience taught me that ambition and vocation may eventually differ. I still enjoy the work that I do and earn considerably sufficient to have a fulfilling life.

As parents, I think the fallacy that Science is better than others need to change. From my experience working in HR; Science, Arts, Vocational and any other denomination are equally good. Doctors and Engineers are not necessarily smarter than Lawyers and Accountants. The most important ingredient in success would be :
1. Interest in the subject and profession
2. Good attitude towards study and work
3. Willingness to study and work with others
4. Able to see through solutions rather than engrossed and became the problem
5. Balance between work and life; world and the hereafter

If you are in a cross road what to study or what you want to have as a profession, some pointers here to select your course and profession. Although it is not comprehensive but serves as a simple guidance

(Amzzah Naseehah Resources conduct "Tracking your Tertiary Education and Vocation" training and consultancy services. If you are interested, email to : amzzah_naseehah@ymail.com or call: +6012-5103364, terms and conditions are negotiable)