Subang Jaya, 23 August 2019 - IJM Corporation Berhad (“IJM” or “the Group”) held its IJM Scholarship & Academic Excellence Awards 2019 presentation ceremony this morning at the Holiday Villa Hotel & Conference Centre. Fourteen outstanding students were awarded RM 651,000 in scholarships to pursue their tertiary education by Tan Sri Abdul Halim bin Ali, Chairman of IJM Corporation Berhad accompanied by Dato’ Soam Heng Choon, CEO & Managing Director of IJM Corporation Berhad.

Selected from a field of 816 applicants, this year’s recipients are undergraduates from different fields of studies such as Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Quantity Surveying and Accounting in both local and private universities.

The IJM Scholarship Award was established in 1994 to provide an opportunity for deserving students to pursue their choice of studies at institutions of higher learning. To date, the scholarship has benefited more than 195 students from various backgrounds.

“Education is the main pillar of IJM’s community investment framework. Designed to develop and nurture its recipients, our scholarship programme also highlights the company’s efforts in building and investing in Malaysia’s future human capital and resource. In helping them realise their academic aspirations, we provide opportunities for young talents to harness their potential and pursue fulfilling careers,” said Dato’ Soam Heng Choon, CEO & Managing Director of IJM Corporation Berhad in his speech.

IJM scholars will not only receive financial assistance to pursue their studies, but also be supported by having access to a mentor in IJM for guidance. This mentoring programme will continue when they join IJM 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 preparation.

Many IJM scholars have progressed well in the company, moving up to hold important positions in various functions, such as Project Managers, Accountants, Senior Engineers within the Group.

This year’s 14 recipients have been selected by a panel that not only assessed the scholarship candidates’ academic achievements, but also involvement in sports and co-curricular activities, as well their family financial background. Candidates also have to go through a full-day selection process which includes case study assessment, group presentation, psychometric tests and interviews.

Through this process, qualities of an active learner such as problem-solving initiative and creativity are identified. Apart from that, panel also looked for signs of a responsible citizen, leadership attributes and collaborative skills. IJM’s Scholarship and Academic Excellence award programme echoes IJM’s pursuit of a high-performance culture, encouraging the younger generation to achieve greater results with the aim of enriching Malaysia’s talent pipeline and skill force.

According to one of IJM’s scholarship recipients, Muhammad ‘Azim bin Zahrullaili, who is currently pursuing a Degree in Civil Engineering in Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM): “Receiving this scholarship has helped reduce the financial burden of my family. I want to become an engineer in the future that my parents can be proud of, and I hope to contribute to our beloved country. I would like to express my gratitude to IJM for providing me this wonderful opportunity and platform to pursue my dreams through this scholarship.”

“We are here today because we recognize the power of education and how it can change lives. I hope that the IJM scholarship will give students the means to develop their full potential and fulfil their aspirations to chart a better future, not only for themselves but also for their families,” Dato’ Soam added.

At the award ceremony this morning, 45 students were presented with the Academic Excellence Award. This award is presented to children IJM employees who have done well academically in last year’s SPM, O-Level, IGCSE, STPM and A-level examinations and is also one of the Company’s initiatives in promoting educational excellence.

Dato’ Soam said: “As well as encouraging students to excel, and rewarding them for their efforts, this award recognizes the importance of parental involvement in children’s education and in shaping their character and values. Behind every good student are many people who care, nurture, motivate and sacrifice.”

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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 Bursa Malaysia KLCI. 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 of around RM8.6 billion and as of March 2019, the Group employed around 4,600 employees and has total assets of RM23 billion.

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.

For more information, visit www.ijm.com