TAR UC Makes a Clean Sweep in Cisco NetRiders Malaysia 2016 Competition

Reaffirming itself as a class act, Tunku Abdul Rahman University College (‘TAR UC’) made a clean sweep in the recent Cisco NetRiders Malaysia 2016 Competition when three of its students clinched the Champion, 1^st Runner-up and 2^nd Runner-up titles respectively. This feat is by far the best achieved by TAR UC students in the said competition and the win in this year marks the third consecutive year TAR UC takes the champion title. On top of that, TAR UC has won the champion title five times including the win in this year since the University College took part in the competition in 2008.

This national level competition was organised by Cisco Networking Academy Malaysia in collaboration with Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (‘MDEC’) and was held on 15 September 2016. The competition is an annual event which provides valuable opportunities for students to showcase their networking abilities, acquire new IT skills and gain visibility among talent recruiters in the growing ICT and networking fields.

Jeffrey Ting Ming Yeong who is a final year student of the Bachelor of Information Technology (Hons) in Information Security, took the Champion title for this year in the Cisco Certified Network Associate (‘CCNA’) category, beating 26 other participants from 10 institutions nationwide. Recalling the challenges he faced in the competition, he said: “The competition was very challenging for me but my revision for my examinations was of great help to me in the competition. I am especially grateful to my lecturers, Ms Chok Len Mooi and Ms Jessie Teoh Poh Lin who not only guided me on how to do well in the competition but they were also a constant source of motivation for me to continue giving my best in the competition.” He also attributed his success to the strong foundation built when pursuing his education in TAR UC particularly in the area of CCNA. “TAR UC’s track record in the Cisco NetRiders Malaysia Competition proves the University College’s strength and expertise in networking, especially in CCNA. On top of that, TAR UC lecturers are Cisco-certified instructors and this provides absolute assurance that they are very knowledgeable in the Cisco networking programme,” Jeffrey continued to share.

Jeffrey won for himself RM500 cash prize, a Challenge Trophy, a Roccat Renga gaming headset and a certificate. He will also be representing Malaysia in the Cisco NetRiders Asia Pacific and Japan Level which will be taking place on 20 October 2016 in Kuala Lumpur.

Meanwhile, the 1^st Runner-up spot went to Ang Chyr Hui, a final year student of the Bachelor of Information Technology (Hons) in Software Systems Development. Chyr Hui was ecstatic with her win as she shared: “Winning second place in this prestigious competition is not only exciting but it has tremendously built my confidence as I was a bit nervous with the thought of competing with so many other skilful students from other institutions of higher learning. I have to thank my dedicated lecturers who were committed to guiding and encouraging me to do my best in the competition.” Chong Jen Foong, another final year student of the Bachelor of Information Technology (Hons) in Software Systems Development, claimed the 2^nd Runner-up title in the competition. “I was very interested in taking part in the competition as I saw the importance of this competition in providing valuable experience for me in tackling real-world challenges. Winning the third place in this competition is a bonus for me and my appreciation goes to my lecturers for their dedication. The knowledge I have gained from the relevant course syllabus learnt in TAR UC also contributes to this win,” he explained.

The various awards and accolades won by TAR UC students underline the efficacy of TAR UC’s education that is supported by three pillars namely being professionally driven, entrepreneurship-focused and industry-relevant. The win in the Cisco Networking Academy Malaysia highlights in particular the industry-relevant aspect of TAR UC programmes which equip students with the latest industry knowledge and skills.

TAR UC is a Cisco Academy and participates in the CCNA programme offered by the Academy. The CCNA programme curriculum is fully integrated in three of TAR UC’s Bachelor degree programmes namely the Bachelor of Information Technology (Hons) in Software Systems Development, Bachelor of Information Technology (Hons) in Internet Technology and Bachelor of Information Technology (Hons) in Information Security. With specialised networking knowledge obtained from CCNA curriculum, it will enhance and boost the employability of graduates of the abovementioned TAR UC programmes particularly in the highly sought after networking field.