PENANG, 25 June 2024 - Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and USAINS Holding Sdn. Bhd. recently celebrated the success of the first “Test of English for International Communication” (TOEIC) Training for the Northern Region industry.

A cohort of 24 employees from Boston Scientific Penang completed the TOEIC training and received their certification.

Participants underwent a comprehensive training programme comprising 24 hours of face-to-face instruction and 6 hours of remote learning, achieving an impressive average score of 750 points.

This significantly surpasses Malaysia's national average of 647 points, as reported in the 2023 TOEIC World Report by ETS. Remarkably, 50% of the cohort, or 12 participants, scored above 800 points, a level comparable to European standards.

The certificate presentation ceremony was graced by the presence of USM Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dato’ Seri Ir. Dr. Abdul Rahman Mohamed, who emphasised the importance of University-Industry collaboration.

“This event is an excellent testimony of USM – USAINS synergetic efforts to collaborate with a good brand name, like Boston Scientific and subsequently initiate a programme to tackle the soft skills related matters,” he said.

He also applauded USAINS for pioneering this initiative, which he described as a significant milestone in enhancing employees' generic skills, complementing the specific skills they possess at Boston Scientific.

USAINS Group of Companies Managing Director, Farid Wajidi Mat Yusoff expressed his gratitude to the USAINS TOEFL/TOEIC team for their strategic efforts in designing the programme.

He highlighted the importance of such initiatives in enhancing employees' soft skills, thereby boosting productivity and efficiency.

Meanwhile, Boston Scientific Penang Production Director, Ooi Cheong Yew said that these sentiments, emphasising the company's commitment to fostering a supportive learning environment.

He congratulated the participants for their dedication and successful completion of the course.

Renowned for its industry-focused English language training, the TOEIC programme aims to enhance workplace communication skills, whereby the training was coordinated by USM and USAINS Holding.

Since 2022, USM has been an exclusive test centre for ETS products in the northern region and the first public university in Malaysia authorized as a test centre.

Text: Nur Farrah Ezlin Mohd Suhaimi/Photo: Courtesy of USAINS Holding Sdn. Bhd.