Seventeen deserving scholars were selected from a total of 480 applications

Subang Jaya, 9 September 2016 - There are ample talent and drive among students from families of the lower income group and promoting excellence in education has always been a permanent element in IJM’s four-pillared Corporate Responsibility framework.

The IJM Scholarship Award was inaugurated in 1994 to provide an opportunity for deserving students to pursue their choice of studies at institutions of higher learning. Apart from that, the scholarship programme is also designed to mould the recipients into capable leaders with the aim to develop, nurture and raise excellent young talent of the future. With the award, scholars will not only receive financial assistance to pursue their studies on a full time basis, but also be supported by having access to a mentor in IJM for guidance. This mentoring programme will continue when they join us as an employee after their graduation. During their course of studies, they will also be given the opportunity to complete their internship in the organisation as part of their career preparatory stints.

Upon graduation, these scholars will undergo a 12 to 18 months of development programme, better known as the Graduate Associate Programme (GAP). Through the GAP, one gains exposure spanning different functions within the business divisions. This exposure is crucial to ensure that these scholars understand the operations of the organization and ultimately prepares them to assume critical positions after the programme. 

The IJM Scholarship Awards 2016 ceremony took place this morning at the Holiday Villa Hotel & Suites in Subang Jaya where 17 recipients had been presented with the prestigious IJM Scholarship with a total scholarship value amounting to RM896,500 by YBhg Tan Sri Abdul Halim bin Ali, Chairman of IJM Corporation Berhad accompanied by YBhg Dato’ Soam Heng Choon, CEO & Managing Director of IJM Corporation Berhad. 

Dato’ Soam Heng Choon, in his opening speech said that since the inauguration of the scholarship programme, IJM have offered more than 250 scholarships and many of the scholars have progressed well, moving up to hold important positions in various functions, such as Project Managers, Contract Managers, Accountants, Senior Engineers, amongst others in the IJM Group of companies. 

This year’s recipients were selected from a field of more than 480 applicants who are undergraduates from different fields of study in our local universities and institutes of higher learning such as Civil, Mechanical Engineering and Quantity Surveying. The selection process was rigorous where applicants must have obtained a minimum of 5As in the SPM/ O-level and 3A in STPM/ A-level or equivalent. For those currently pursuing their first degree, they must have achieved at least a CGPA of 3.50 in their last semester result.

The 17 recipients have been notably selected by a panel of interviewers based on their academic excellence, active involvement in sports and co-curricular activities and family financial background. 

“As one of Malaysia’s leading conglomerates, IJM has never stopped investing in its people. We have a talent development framework that guides our people in their career progression within the Group. In addition to the vast exposure in projects locally and abroad to gain experience on the job, we also continuously develop the essential soft skills of our people. Our structured development programme is tailored for different segments of talent with an emphasis to develop the desired competencies that help the candidates to excel in their career.” Dato’ Soam added.

Also at the award ceremony this morning, a total of 51 students were honoured with the Academic Excellence Award. This award is given to children of staff of the IJM Group of companies who have done exceptionally well academically in the past year in the SPM, STPM and A-level examinations and is also one of the Company’s initiatives in promoting education excellence.

To the Academic Excellence Award recipients, Dato Soam has this to say “You have made your parents very proud with your excellent achievement. Keep up the good work and remember that while you continue to excel academically, do participate in extracurricular activities and sports as this will build your character and indirectly nurture your leadership capabilities, which are essential for your success in your career in the future.”

“Lastly, for those of you who aspire to be in leadership positions in IJM one day, there is no short cut to success. You need to always push the boundaries and set new benchmark for higher performance.” Dato’ Soam further added. 

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About IJM Corporation Berhad

IJM Corporation Berhad (“IJM”), formed in 1983, is today one of Malaysia’s leading construction groups and is listed on the main board of Bursa Malaysia. Its business activities encompass construction, property development, manufacturing and quarrying, infrastructure concessions and plantations. 

Headquartered in Selangor, its operations are located in 10 countries, with primary focus in Malaysia, India and Indonesia. The Group presently has a market capitalisation in excess of RM12 billion and as of 31 March 2016, the Group’s total assets stood at RM19.8 billion and employs around 4,400 employees. 

The Group’s belief in a shared destiny with its employees remains pivotal to its growing success while its reputation for professionalism, performance and good governance is acknowledged by customers and investors alike from its numerous corporate and industry accolades. IJM is committed to ethical business conduct and subscribes to the principles of good corporate citizenship for sustainable growth and development.