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IT CUSTOMER SERVICE CONSULTANT – provides consultation and technical support to management and staff resolving computer problems with information technology (IT) systems, services, and equipment; plan and administer special projects; perform related work.

IT DATABASE ANALYST, SENIOR – Design and install large, complex database management system applications; ensure the security, quality, and integrity of data resources; perform related work.

IT INFORMATION SYSTEMS TECHNICIAN, SENIOR – Perform broad systems administration and technical support for both stand-alone PC hardware and software and local area networks; perform related work.

IT NETWORK ANALYST, SENIOR — Design, enhance, implement, and consult on local and wide area network communications networks; perform related work.

IT PROGRAMMER / SYSTEM ANALYST, SENIOR — Analyze user information technology (IT) needs and design new or modify current applications systems; define system requirements; perform applications programming; performs related work.

IT SUPPORT TECHNICIAN — To provide on-going support to clients regarding the efficient operation and use of computerized client information systems and resources; perform related work.

IT SYSTEMS PROGRAMMER, SENIOR – Provide leadership in the design, evaluation, and installation of system software and supporting sub-systems; perform related work.

IT QUALITY ASSURANCE ANALYST — Review and analyze application system modules and documentation to ensure applications are properly developed and implemented into production according with department standards and customer requirements, maintain the development and production environments, and assist developers in diagnosing production problems; perform related work.

According to Metal Fabrication Technology (MFT) Department of Malaysian France Institute (MFI), its concept for the term of "Metal Fabrication" focuses on steel fabrication such as metal working and piping components that are regularly used in oil and gas industry and heavy industrial plant. The aspects of metal fabrication technology include:

- Drawing design (AutoCad, Cad / Cam)

- CNC programming

- Plate and sheet development software

- Sheet metal and pipe pattern development

- Manufacturing concept

- Fabrication technology

- Production technology

- Management

- Piping drawing

- Pressure vessel drawing

The fabrication machine tools include:

- CNC turrent punching

- CNC press brake

- Hydraulic roll bending

- Hydraulic section bending

- Shearing and plasma outing

- Welding machine such as TIG, MIG, SMAW

Engineers in Pressure Vessel Fabrication industry are expected to have equiped with knowledge of:

- the pressure equipment under ASME Code, including ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Codes, the role of ASME, National Board and ASME Authorised inspectors.  

- the material used in the pressure vessel fabrication for various operations and applications. 

- how the Maximum Allowable Stresses for all ASME material are determined what to be used in the design calculations.

- how to determine the joint efficiency, which is based on joint type, joint category (location) and degree of radiography.

- how to evaluate what need to be considered for all design parameter including operating and static head pressures and to select correct Maximum Allowable Stress.

"We are being judged by a new yardstick. It’s not how smart you are but how you are smart! The technical skills or the business expertise that so often propelled people to the top are not the abilities that make you effective in inspiring people, in guiding people, in coaching people, in developing people, in motivating people."

Danies Goleman, 1995, Emotional Intelligence

Emotion is a mental state that arises spontaneously rather than through conscious effort and is often accompanied by physiological changes. Emotional Intelligence is intelligence regarding the emotions, especially in the ability to monitor one’s own or others’ emotions.

Emotional Intelligence is not about being nice all the time, but being honest; not about being touchy-feely (sentimental), but being aware of feelings, yours and other people’s; not about being emotional, but being smart with your emotions.

According to the pioneer in the field, John Mayer and Peter Salovey, emotional intelligence is a type of social intelligence that involves the ability to monitor one’s own and other emotions, to discriminate among them, and to use the information to guide one’s thinking and actions.

More simply, emotional intelligence is knowing how we and others feel, learning to manage our emotions rather than letting them to control us.  

Emotions are not good or bad. Emotions are information.

How do we learn to raise our level of emotional intelligence?

According to Peter Salovey, many aspects of emotional intelligence involve skills, skills that we need to practice, skills that only become automatic through practice. And that takes time. It’s an on-going process.

5 Competencies of Emotional Intelligence

Self-awareness

Self-awareness is the foundation that support all of the other emotional intelligence competencies. It is knowing what drives us and what we’re passionate about. Self-awareness is about knowing where we are now and where we want to go. The major tip of self-awareness is to learn to tune-in (to make or become aware or responsive) to our emotions.

While the first step is to listen and learn from our gut feelings, the second step is to regulate those feelings and manage them so they do more good than harm.

Self-regulation

Self-regulation / self-control is all about checking those emotions – whether we need to temper our feelings. It comes from recognising our emotions and moderating the response. It helps us to act intentionally rather than reactively.

Tips on self-regulation including: 
- Accept responsibility for choosing our own emotional responses.
- Learn to “reframe” stressful situations into ones that are challenging.
- Be aware of, and learn to manage our own emotional “triggers”.

Once we are aware of our feelings and have learned the ways to manage them, the third step is to direct the power of our emotions towards a purpose which will motivate and inspire us. 

Self-motivation 

People who are low in self-motivation will have a hard time to commit / following through. They would rather avoid.

People who are high in self-motivation can visualise achieving a goal as they are able to understand and take necessary steps to get there. They have learned to use their emotions as a positive driving force. They realise that every job has its less enjoyable elements, but they plow ahead. They accept change and are more flexible. They have better attitudes, take more initiative and do balanced risk taking. 

Tips on self-motivation including:  
- Recognise that emotions affect performance. 
- Identify your “explanatory style” – ask “what can I fix”, instead of “what’s wrong is me?”.

Once we have become more honest and intentional with our emotions, it is time to look outward. Emotional intelligence is both tuning into our own feelings and tuning into the feelings of those around us. It means responding to others appropriately, with sensitivity and compassion.

Empathy

Empathy means being able to see from another person’s perspective. We should try to understand where those feelings come from, but we are not responsible for them. It begins with listening. Someone who is empathetic listens and responds, and can’t help but display sensitivity and concern. This makes a connection with people. Individuals who lack empathy are more focused on their needs and pay little or no attention to anyone else. No connection is made.

Empathy is the glue that will bond the group together to work successfully.

Tips on empathy including:
- Recognising and responding appropriately to the emotions of others.
- By expressing empathy, you also create empathy in others.
- Realise that emotions impact such measurable goals as productivity and safety.

Mastering the abilities of self-awareness, self-regulation, self-motivation and empathy pave the way for attaining a greater skill in effective relationships.

Effective Relationships  

It is about interacting with people successfully and being adept at managing emotions in others.

The greatest pay-off for leaders who are good at effective relationships is becoming the kind of boss people want to work for. Key staffs will leave if they are unhappy.

Tips on effective relationship including:
- Employ all our emotional competencies – awareness, regulations, motivation and empathy to influence and persuade others.
- Build consensus and support for team goals.
- Motivate and inspire yourself and others to achieve those goals.

 

 

There are two types of resignations i.e. voluntary resignation and involuntary / forced resignation.

Voluntary resignation means the voluntary termination of the employment contract by the employee. Involuntary / forced resignation means a resignation under compulsion, at the initiative of the employer, or an employer offered the employee the alternatives or “resign or be sacked” and, without anything more, the employee resigned.

Whether Forced Resignation Tantamount to Dismissal?

Case Study (VP Nathan & Partners v. Ilangovan Dorairaj A. Suppiah, Award No: 453 of 2000)

A major client of a legal firm, an insurance company, instructed the firm that it did not want the claimant to handle any of their files and the claimant was to relieved from having access to their files, without any reasons. A partner of the firm conveyed the insurance company’s instruction to the claimant. The claimant agreed to resign and left the company. The claimant then contended that he was asked to resign and because of this he had no alternative but to leave the firm. The claimant added that the firm also informed him that his future increments and the prospect securing a partnership with the company had been considerably affected.

Court Award

The conduct of the firm and its representative was material to this issue – the whole chain of events as forming one continuous story. The claimant had been informed that his advancement and his ability to continue in his chosen field as an advocate and solicitor would be affected. The Court held that the claimant had established, on a balance of probabilities, that he was required by the firm to tender his resignation and this was tantamount to a dismissal by the company.

Forced resignation may be tantamount to dismissal of the workman. It is the burden of the workman to prove that he had been dismissed instead of voluntary resigned.

Fixed-term contract means a contract that is stated to last for a set period of time. When a contract for a fixed-term expires, it terminates itself, it has not been "terminated" by either party.

Whether Failure to Extend A Fixed-term Contract of Employment Tantamoutg to Unfair Dismissal?

Case Summary (United Seino Transportation (M) Sdn Bhd v. Bahari Bin Bab)

The company was a transport company undertaking the transportation of goods for the entire group of companies and other companies. It is an on-going business. The claimant was working on a fixed-term contract of one year, and was extended for a further period of six months. When the claimant’s fixed-term contract expired, the same lorry was driven by another driver for the company for the transportation of goods. There had been no complaints against the claimant during his tenure with the company.

Court Award

In this case, the consideration was whether the workman’s employment was under a genuine fixed-term contract, i.e. whether an employer genuinely had a need for the service of an employee for a fixed duration and thereby employed the employee for the said term stipulated in the contract. Genuine fixed-term contracts are suitable for temporary, one-off jobs. The Court held that the claimant was an employee at the time of dismissal and his dismissal was without just cause or excuse. 

Case Summary (Sime UEP Development v. Chu Ah Poi, Award No: 66 of 1996)

The claimant was employed by the company as a clerk-of-works for 4 years on a yearly contractual basis. The claimant was not employed for a particular project but involved in various projects. He was also given salary increments each time his contract was renewed. The company contended that the claimant’s contract was not renewed due to the fact that there was a slowdown in the launching of new houses by the company and the fact that the project in which the claimant was involved had to come to an end.

Court Award

In this case, the consideration was whether a workman is a permanent employee despite renewals that depend on the absolute discretion of the employer. The Court held that this was not a temporary one-off job. No other contract clerk of works besides the claimant had been terminated. The claimant was in fact and in law a permanent employee and the contract was a permanent job dressed up in the form of fixed-term contracts.

Failure to extend the workman’s contract may be tantamount to dismissal of the workman. The company has to give a genuine reason as to why the fixed-term contract was not renewed.

Termination Simpliciter means a termination by contractual notice and for no reason, not grounded on any just cause or excuse.

 

Whether Termination Simpliciter Acceptable as Valid in Industrial Law?

 

"…It was also alternatively contended for the Company that it was a term of the claimant’s contract of employment that the claimant’s services could be terminated with one month’s notice or payment in lieu thereof, "in accordance with which term the service of the claimant was terminated". But this point of law has been settled for some years now: what is known as termination simpliciter is no longer acceptable in the industrial law, the termination of the employment of a workman contractually, if not based on just cause or excuse, would still be dismissed without just cause or excuse. (Pembenaan Hashbudin (M) Sdn Bhd v. Thambipillai Sivagnanam - Award No: 247 of 1987).  

Definition of termination according to dictionary is an action of bringing something to an end, while dismissal is the action of removing somebody, especially an employee from a position.  

According to Malaysia’s industrial law, termination means termination of the employment relationship and it is usually identified with the termination of employment contract, while dismissal is a particular kind of termination, which involves misconduct.

Lawful Termination (without notice) According to Malaysia’s Employment Act

Section 13(1) EA — Either party may terminate the contract of employment without notice by paying to the other an indemnity equal to the amount of wages that would have accrued to that party during the required period of notice.

Section 13(2) EA — Either party may terminate the contract of employment without notice if either party has willfully breached a term of condition of the contract of employment.

Section 15(1) EA — An employer will have deemed to have breached the contract of service if he fails to pay wages to the employee within the perioed as stipulated in Part III of the Employment Act 1955.

Section 15(@) EA — An employee has been continuously absent from work for more than two consecutive working days without prior permission from his employer or where he has no reasonable excuse of such absence; or without informing or attempting to inform his employer of such an excuse prior to, or at the earlier opportunity, during such absent.

Section 60(f)(2)(b) EA — An employee does not inform or does not attempt to inform his employer of any sick leave given by a medical officer within 48 hours of the commencement of the sick leave.