With the Movement Control Order (MCO) due to Covid 19 pandemic extended till 14 April 2020, many of us are turning to activities that we don’t normally have time for. So whether you’re developing a new hobby or re-discovering an old one, the skills that you’re showing off could reveal a lead to a career that’s right for you. After all, it’s said that when you find a job you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.
So c’mon and let’s have a look and what these skills reveal and which courses or fields of study could be a good match for you!
Barista
Have you been attempting the Dalgona coffee and discovered you have a natural flair for whipping up an awesome cold latte? Perhaps being a barista is your cup of tea (or coffee).
Courses:
You can work as a barista without formal qualifications but a certificate, diploma or degree in hospitality or culinary skills will open doors for you within the F&B industry.
Interior Designer
Did watching home makeover programmes inspire you to revamp your home? From chic makeovers to transforming your room into a spectacular spaceship scene, if you enjoy decorating and turning your place into a cool insta-worthy crib, interior designing could be right for you.
Courses:
A certificate, diploma or degree in interior design.
Chef or Baker
Are you the one cooking a storm every day to a hard-to-please crowd of hungry customers at home but still find inspiration to carry on the next day? Or are you the one who says: “No bread? No problem!” and proceeds to bake the most delicious mouth-watering bread for breakfast followed by cookies for tea and pie too?
Courses:
Take your cooking skills to the next level with a diploma or degree in culinary arts. You could also consider a diploma in baking or pastry arts.
Fitness Instructor
The MCO means no more exercising outside so how many of you have been taking advantage of free celebrity workouts? Cue: Chris Hemsworth. For those who can’t miss working out… have you been training at home using YouTube videos? Or have you started a Zumba class on Zoom for your buddies or your neighbourhood? If you enjoy helping people achieve a better fitness level, why not consider being a fitness instructor? From yoga and Pilates to HIIT and boxing, fitness will never go out of fashion.
Courses:
Depending on the fitness you specialise in, you’ll need to be trained and certified by the respective fitness area. In addition, a CPR qualification is required for fitness instructors to practise in Malaysia.
Urban Farmer
Have the long queues at markets and grocery stores prompted you to plant your own edible garden? Some of you may have found comfort in working outside in the garden during the MCO. If you enjoy planting your own vegetables and fruit and like looking for ways to improve your harvest and yield, why not explore a career in urban farming? It’s definitely a green career to consider. A big plus for people who enjoy working with their hands and outdoors.
Courses:
While you don’t need a qualification to be an urban farmer, a diploma or degree in agriculture or horticulture could be helpful, especially if it includes an apprenticeship or hands-on training.
Educator or Instructional Designer
Staying at home means learning needs to happen at home. Whether you’re using Google Classroom or Zoom or other fun and useful apps like Quizlet and Evernote, online learning has opened up a world of possibilities for learners across the world. If your online learning experience has ignited a passion in education for you, you could share your love for teaching and learning by becoming and educator or even an instructional designer.
Courses:
There are many specialisations in education and you should explore the qualifications needed for your area of interest before you sign up for a course. E.g. childhood educators vs language teachers would require a different qualification.
E-commerce Specialist
Have you not left the house since the start of the MCO? Got everything you need delivered to your doorstep? Do you know the best deals online and have a knack for sourcing just about anything on the internet? Turn your skills into a career by exploring what an e-commerce specialist does!
Courses:
You could pursue a diploma or degree in e-commerce, business studies, business administration, entrepreneurship or even IT.
Artist or Graphic Designer
Some of you may have set your books aside in favour over a sketching pad or a palette of paints. Do you like drawing, painting and creating art? If you’re creative and love creating art, you might want to sharpen your pencils or computer skills and explore the wide range of artistic careers waiting for you.
Courses:
You’ll be spoilt for choice but you’ll need to find out what ignites your artistic passion. There are many diploma and degree programmes on fine art, graphic design, multimedia design, animation, and more.
Fashion Designer
So the MCO has prompted some of you to reassess your wardrobe and since you can’t go out shopping, perhaps you’ve decided to reinvent some of your dresses and tops to turn them into exclusive fashion pieces! If you enjoy working with your hands and are handy with a sewing machine—and absolutely LOVE fashion of course—a career in fashion design could be ‘sew’ your thing!
Courses:
Diploma and degree in fashion design. These courses are sometimes complemented by studies in marketing, entrepreneurship and management.
Social Worker
Instead of staying home, are you a volunteer who has been helping to deliver food to the healthcare front-liners at hospitals? Have you joined a caremongering group to help distribute food to the homeless or those in need? Have you been helping to coordinate support groups to phone in to check on those who are living alone and need someone to talk to? If helping others live and become better is how you roll then a career in social work is something you could consider.
Courses:
Courses that could help you in your role as a social worker include studies in social work, psychology, counselling, public policy and others.
Performer or Entertainer
It’s late, you’re bored staying at home and you decide to record a video of yourself lip-syncing to a famous scene of a Hollywood movie and whadaya know? Your post went viral and now your new found fans are demanding for more. If you love to act, sing, dance or even do stand-up comedy, you might want to pursue a career as a performer or entertainer.
Courses:
The courses will depend on your area of specialisation. E.g. There are courses in music, dance, performing arts, entertainment arts and more.
Engineer
There have been many interesting collaborations online in times of this Covid-19 outbreak. From people coming together to assemble 3D printed face shields to calls for contribution of ideas for a ‘phone booth’ coronavirus testing facility prototype. One thing’s for sure, in times of adversity, there’s still creativity! If you enjoy finding solutions to problems and working on how something could be made better, you might be cut out to be an engineer.
Courses:
Diploma and degree courses in engineering include mechanical, electrical, civil, biomedical, materials, chemical, and many, many more.
If none of these careers inspire you, why don’t you try put our online Course-Interest-Test (CIT)? Designed to help students discover more about their interests and abilities, the CIT guides students in finding a career that’s a good match for them.
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