Kota Kinabalu: University students said the 13th Sabah Oil, Gas and Energy Conference and Exhibition made them change their view of the industry, saying it shattered misconceptions and opened doors to career paths they never considered.
Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology (TAR UMT) accounting student Chloe Chan Hao Yee, 19, said her initial impression of oil and gas was shaped by its negative reputation online.
“The oil and gas industry had a bad name from the past and that creeps up into the future. My initial idea of the industry is that it is a very big pollutant to the environment, but now that I am here and I listen to the real people talk, I know it is not as bad as social media made it out to be,” she said.
Chloe added that the conference had shown her that accounting graduates were not limited to accounting companies.
“I do not just have to work for an accounting company. I can also include myself into other industries even though it does not directly relate to my field,” she said.
Fellow TAR UMT student Irleesya Erza Runzee, 19, who is pursuing a diploma in software engineering, said she had previously been put off by word of mouth that the oil and gas sector was difficult to enter.
“I was intimidated by the oil and gas industry because from word of mouth, this field is very difficult to get into and it is very hard to keep up with the career as well as the environment,” she said.
The conference had shown her that software engineers had a role to play.
“As a student pursuing diploma in software engineering, I can help with the software and system of the industry, I can help to develop something new or even maintain something that they already have,” she said, urging young people to understand the industry before forming opinions.
“All I want to say is please look into the industry first. Understand it more, because all these people work hard to get to where they are,” she said.
TAR UMT lecturer Nurulhuda Zainudin, who brought her non-engineering students to the conference, said the exposure had challenged narrow assumptions about what oil and gas careers required.
“This initiative, bringing students from non-engineering backgrounds to meet all the expertise from different panels, is such an eye-opener for me and the students,” she said.
“Oil and gas is not only about engineering or technical. They have scholars with psychology background, people from TESL and someone from marketing. It is actually an eye-opener especially for my students from accounting and IT backgrounds, as there are vast options,” she said.
Meanwhile, Universiti Malaysia Sabah student Ronnlie Chris Masain, 22, said many young people feared the industry was in decline but he believed otherwise.
“Most of us are really afraid in this field because we always hear that it will die in a few years. But in my opinion, the oil and gas industry will continue to grow because this is the engine of the economy, especially globally,” said the bachelor of oil and gas engineering student, adding that events such as the SOGCE had been particularly helpful for young people seeking career direction and industry insight.
UiTM Kota Kinabalu diploma science student Vione’ed le Edmund, 21, said oil and gas had never seemed relevant until majoring in physics changed her outlook.
“I never joined any oil and gas programme because it never occurred to me that it had something to do with my life. But after majoring in physics, something inside me thinks oil and gas is going to be my career,” she said, adding that she joined the SOGCE to learn more about the industry and find her direction.
His coursemate Mohd Irffan Shah Jaiful, 24, described the conference as an opportunity to broaden horizons and make professional connections.
“This is a great opportunity for me and other students to broaden our experience and build connections within the industry and network with professionals. We are currently in a future generation’s life, so moving towards renewable energy is very good for our environment because it fuels the future, like the SOGCE slogan, Fuel the Future,” he said.
UiTM Kota Kinabalu lecturer ChM. Dr Rafidah Selaman said the conference gave her students knowledge specific to Sabah’s energy sector that they would not have encountered in class.
“They have limited knowledge about Sabah oil, gas and energy, and at the same time we lack technologies in this area,” she said.
Rafidah, whose background is in applied chemistry and resource recovery from waste, said the conference could inspire science students to pursue further study in petroleum engineering.
The students attended as part of a corporate social responsibility initiative by the organising body, with Organising Chairperson Dolly Jimayol saying local university students were sponsored to participate as conference delegates.
“Through this initiative, students are given the opportunity to learn from industry experts, discover emerging technologies and build valuable professional networks. We firmly believe that investing in young talent today is essential to building a resilient, innovative and future-ready workforce for tomorrow,” she said.
The event is organised by Midas Events Management and supported by the State Government and Sabah Convention Bureau. Daily Express is the media partner.
