R G Elangovan, Westminster International College

R G Elangovan S/O Gopal Krishnan

Age	:	38 years
Qualifications	:	BEng Honours in Telecommunication & Electronics, University of Lincoln, 2002
Currently pursuing	:	Executive MBA (Business Administration) at Westminster International College (awarded by Cardiff Metropolitan University, UK)
Current job title	:	Manager
Employer	:	Rohde & Schwarz Malaysia Sdn Bhd
Has been with this employer for	:	6 years 5 months

My postgraduate study

My background
I graduated in radio frequency engineering and am working in the same industry. I managed to apply all the knowledge which I obtained during my first degree to the growth of the organisation.

I’m currently working as a manager at Rohde & Schwarz Malaysia Sdn Bhd. I started my career as a sales manager and interacted with a lot of people as I went about clinching business deals.

After six years, I was given the task of managing the organisation’s business performance and workforce. This was a totally new field for me, as it requires management skills and patience to be a leader.

After two years of searching for the exact institution to pursue my MBA, I finally chose Westminster International College (WIC) for its wonderful and comprehensive learning plan, which was what I have been looking for.

Choosing a qualification
Your career goals and plan should be implanted as soon as you join the working environment. Working towards the goal and the path to achieve them is a key factor that will motivate you to work. If we are working for the sake of working without any future plans, it is like day in, day out without satisfaction. Knowledge can’t be obtained immediately by reading. It has to come from discussion between experienced personnel and partly from daily experience. In order to be a good leader, we need to equip ourselves with the right knowledge.

When you have a career path, then choosing the suitable knowledge is very important for your growth. Since I was moving towards management level, the course I needed to achieve my goal was Management and Business Administration. The course syllabus and lecturers were the main reasons why WIC was my choice to pursue my MBA. The lecturers are knowledgeable and shared relevant information that is required in the real working environment. This helps us to prepare ourselves with skills. The comfortable studying environment also makes the learning more attractive.

Mode of study
As a working adult with a family, I can’t afford to go for full-time studies. I have to balance between my career and family. Therefore the best mode of studying for me is part-time. Even though it’s tough, with all my colleagues around and the encouragement given by the lecturers which have vast experience, it does not feel as difficult.

As a part-timer you get to share and exchange knowledge with working adults who would help broaden your thinking and real-life experiences. Undertake all the challenges as part of the learning curve and don’t see them as challenges. Once you have chosen to pursue further studies, there shouldn’t be any challenges since it is chosen by the individual.

There is no age limit for gaining knowledge. Since I’m in charge of the organisation’s performance, I should prepare myself to obtain the skills in order to be a good manager and lead the others. As a leader, you should be able to solve problems and advise your subordinates, and this inspires me to continue my MBA.

My course
The MBA is a general course, and I would like to specialise in Marketing and Corporate Finance. This is required because if we enter the business world, we need to market ourselves and our products. Skills and techniques for marketing are important in order to run a business. At the end of the course, you will understand the philosophy of business and how the cash flow works for the sustainability of business. Research and case study are the best models to obtain knowledge because these will be shared and discussed among a team.

Looking ahead
There’s no guarantee that after you have obtained your qualification, you can implement what you have learned. A qualification is just like a passport but the destination is determined by each individual. You’re adding more knowledge to yourself, and this will be your assets for the future. Analyse what you have done and how you can contribute to the growth of your current organisation. Don’t think of changing jobs.

My advice
Different people have different skills. If you are interested in equipping yourself with knowledge, continue pursuing any sort of courses that match your career plan. Do not study for promotion only because this will incur a lot of challenges during the studying period. Think of adding knowledge and you will enjoy the courses you have undertaken.