FSKM Students in Industrial Training

>Chapter 1

Introduction

This chapter provides the overview of this research project. The project problem statement, objectives of research, the scope of the project and significance of the project are clearly discussed in this chapter. 

1.1 Background of Research 

Industrial training is a program that refers to the placement of students in the industry to gain experience in the employment world. Industrial Training or in very simple terms ‘‘internship’’ is a ‘‘bridge’’ from classroom to workplace. It is an opportunity to test skills, interests and career choices in real work situations while obtaining an edge on ‘‘inexperienced’’ job market competitors (Neuman, 1999).

Industrial Training is a compulsory course and an important component for all degree programs in Faculty of Computer Science and Mathematics in Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM). Since it was offered, thousands of students enrolled the course yearly. Diagram 1.0 show the statistic for two semester of student that enrolled for industrial training, 196 students in Mac-Jun 2014 and 155 students in September-January 2015 are enrolled for this course. It is undeniable fact that industrial training is very important in accessing the ability of the student, particularly with respect to the variance in training practices and attitudes across national cultures (Abderrahman Hassi, Giovanna Storti, 2011).

 

   

Figure 1.0 Statistic of FSKM Students Enrol in Industrial Training 

Previously, in 2000 to 2011, our faculty has “Sistem Latihan Praktik” which is developed by Prof Madya Dr Adnan Ahmad. It is used to handle all the industrial training process from the beginning until the end of the process for diploma students. The student’s entire document from every course which is CS110, CS111 and CS112 in UiTM branches is stored in this system and it can assign a supervisor to evaluate a student.

In 2012, this system is not being used anymore after changes of the coordinator and the diploma students in UiTM Shah Alam are transferred to branches. The current practice of conducting an industrial training process is done by semi-computer. Students have to submit their application form to the HEA after being approved by the industry training coordinator, after that the application will be sent to the company. 

The company will give a confirmation letter to the student and the industrial training coordinator if they accept the student. For industrial training coordinator, he/she has to manage every document needed. Until now the same way was used to manage the document.

For example the coordinator has to type every student’s information from the application form into Microsoft Excel. From the analysis that has been made in the current system, few problems were identified, such as the current practice faces a problem of difficult to manage because heavily using the paper. Thus, the Industrial Training System (ITS) is new systems that will be developed based on the problems and others requirements needed. ITS will be developed using PHP as a server and MySQL as the database. The best feature of both PHP and MySQL is they work with any major operating system and many of the minor ones. 

Therefore, the faculty wants to develop its own an automated system that will replace the current practice used by FSKM UiTM Shah Alam. This study attempted to develop a proper system that focuses on industrial training processes which are applying for placement and confirmation of placement. As current system only supports a few functions, end users need to use the manual method.

For example, the data about students are keys in Microsoft Excel and bring all documents for Industry Training Requirement and waiting answer from them if accepted or not. ITS can help the faculty to manage all information about their students in Industrial Training placement. Thus, this is win-win situation for students and supervisor because it eases the students and supervisor and reduces workload. 

1.2 Problem Statement(s) 

Based on the interview with Puan Hanizah, HEA staff that is responsible with the previous “Sistem Latihan Praktik” said that the system is totally lost after the faculty change its personal computer (PC). The faculty also did not make a backup of the system. PM Dr Adnan Ahmad has not built a new system because all UiTM branches want to develop by their own, thus they can handle by themselves.

Therefore, currently there is no proper system to handle industrial training process in Faculty of Computer Science and Mathematics in UiTM Shah Alam. For example all the information and the latest new about industrial training for Computer Science course are upload and announces at Facebook which is organize by Puan Wan Nur Amalina, Industrial Training Coordinator. 

According to Puan Norizan, Industrial Training Officer, students need to take the BLI-01, BLI-02, BL1-03 form at their office then submit to the Industrial Training Coordinator to complete their applying process. This process is not really efficient. Besides, the current practice of storing industrials training information of students and company is done semi-computer based where is heavily using the paper and because of that it seem difficult to manage all the information.

The problems about the paper based are the possibility of missing the form, difficult to organize and many more. Furthermore, the data about students from all the form needed will be key in Microsoft Excel by Industrial Training Coordinator and this will lead to redundancy and inconsistency of data. This problem is occurring because Industrial Training Coordinator need to open many tabs in Microsoft Excel to type details needed for every student, for example, students personal details, placement details and the response form for industrial training placement in the current industrial training system. 

1.3 Project Objective 

The development of Industrial Training System (ITS) is a best solution to solve the problems faced by faculty that using current semi-computer system. Besides overcoming all the problems of the current system, these are the objectives that are wished to be accomplished from the system. This study attempted to: 1.

To identify the requirement of the industrial training system. 2. To analyze the requirement of the industrial training system. 3. To validate the requirement through prototyping 

1.4 Project Scope 

Industrial training processes have four steps that are applying of placement, confirmation of placement, assigning of visiting lecturers and lastly evaluation of students. This project focuses on making a requirement analysis for developing a system for FSKM final year students for applying and confirmation of placement. This system will be developed to solve the problems faces by traditional Industrial Training Management System. 

1.5 Project Significance 

Upon completing this study, it highlights a significance of the study as follow: The Industrial Training System is the proposed system for future researcher and designer to use as a basis to develop a complete system. Significant to the 

1.6 Expected Outcome 

The artefacts will be used by future researchers to complete the system 

1.7 Summary 

As a conclusion, this chapter discuss the background, problem statement, objective, scope, significant and expected outcome of the research. This is the first chapter which is the initial phase in research which provide the understanding to carry out the project. This chapter justified that making a requirement analysis of developing Industrial Training System has its significance for stakeholder, future research and designer.

The next chapter is the Literature Review which discusses about the terminology used in this research.

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