By AZHARI KARIM                                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                      
BY MID-YEAR, the Malaysian Institute of Management (MIM),                                                                                             
through its qsXlator will be able to assist ex-servicemen in                                                                                          
securing employment in the private sector.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                      
This service, to be introduced via a web portal,                                                                                                      
veteranwira.com, will be hosted by the Ex-Servicemen                                                                                                  
Association of Malaysia or PBTM.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                      
The qsXlator is a tool for translating qualifications gained                                                                                          
by the ex- servicemen while they are in service, into a                                                                                               
business skill set.                                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                      
The user will first be required to complete a formed-based                                                                                            
resume and submit the information into the system.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                      
The details are then stored into a master file for future job                                                                                         
matching or retrieval for maintenance purposes. As a                                                                                                  
comprehensive skill translation tool, the qsXlator is also                                                                                            
able to translate technical qualifications into a business                                                                                            
skill-set needed by the private sector.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                      
MIM has developed the qsXlator together with the Ex-Servicemen                                                                                        
Association of Malaysia, in order to address the perennial                                                                                            
problem of finding employment for around 5000 servicemen                                                                                              
between the ages of 35 and 40 who retired from the Armed                                                                                              
Forces annually.                                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                      
It is also expected to grant recognition to the various                                                                                               
qualifications of the ex- servicemen as well as putting the                                                                                           
level of training they have received while in the Services on                                                                                         
the same par as those being offered by the private sector.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                      
To achieve this, the qualifications translator has been                                                                                               
developed to comprise the following components:                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                      
User Profile Register - an entry form for guiding the user to                                                                                         
enter their personal particulars for storage into the Users                                                                                           
Master File.                                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                      
User Master File database - a collection of user profiles                                                                                             
captured when the user input their information into the                                                                                               
system. There is also a maintenance module that manages the                                                                                           
stored information.                                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                      
Qualifications/Skills Database - a set of data that describes                                                                                         
the qualifications schemes. It contains the data dictionary                                                                                           
about the skills set. It also comes with a maintenance module.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                      
Reports Information - a report with the results of the                                                                                                
translation. The report will also generate other forms of                                                                                             
data.                                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                      
Translator Tool - a qualification to business skills                                                                                                  
translator, the core utility that matches the qualifications                                                                                          
selected by the user and transmits the information to the                                                                                             
reporting system.                                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                      
With its expected completion by the second-half of the year,                                                                                          
the qsXlator will form the final part of the suite of                                                                                                 
technological innovations that MIM has started to introduce to                                                                                        
the management community.                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                      
MIM started looking seriously at technology in the workplace                                                                                          
as early as 1986.                                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                      
During this period, the Institute had installed two                                                                                                   
information systems as well as a small number of personal                                                                                             
computers for word processing applications. In 1991, a Data                                                                                           
processing unit was created to maintain the existing systems                                                                                          
and support the IT technologies.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                      
MIM's long-term strategy focuses on six different but related                                                                                         
developments: integration of the office automation systems,                                                                                           
enhancing the management information system, developing                                                                                               
knowledge-based systems, introducing e- business technologies,                                                                                        
using technology for promotion of services and applying                                                                                               
technology for advancement of education and training                                                                                                  
programmes.                                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                      
The products and services that will result from this                                                                                                  
development will benefit not only the members but also the                                                                                            
Institute's customers and markets.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                      
The technological innovations referred to above will include                                                                                          
the following: Technologies farms, Virtual private networks,                                                                                          
Electronic communications, Centralised network management and                                                                                         
administration.                                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                      
The institute began work on the information and software                                                                                              
systems in 2000.                                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                      
This year, development efforts will concentrate on delivering                                                                                         
the software and support systems for the rest of the building                                                                                         
blocks in the strategy.                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                      
The benefits to members and the management community can be                                                                                           
summarised as follows: a reduction in operation cycles and                                                                                            
processes for the Institute's programmes and activities;                                                                                              
access to the latest technology in the market; business                                                                                               
decisions can be made more efficiently; customers can plan                                                                                            
their training needs accordingly; making available                                                                                                    
electronic-based business opportunities; faster acquisition of                                                                                        
information for all promotional and marketing needs; provide                                                                                          
better services to members and the management community as a                                                                                          
whole.                                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                                      
The institute is not opposed to the use and application of                                                                                            
technology in the workplace.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                      
It is in facts supports wholeheartedly that technology has                                                                                            
made the work of the manager today more efficient and more                                                                                            
productive.                                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                      
At the same time however, it realises that technology can                                                                                             
cause disharmony if it is not balanced by the right attitude                                                                                          
of the managers.                                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                      
The aim is to deliver the essence of the individual on to the                                                                                         
workplace.                                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                      
Technology can be made more human and the manager more                                                                                                
technical-minded.                                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                      
Towards this end, and in the interest of building a positive                                                                                          
and technology- friendly work environment, the Institute has                                                                                          
started to offer programmes emphasising values and human                                                                                              
renewal.                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                      
As a case study of a programme utilising technology, the                                                                                              
Institute could look back at some success to the Multimedia                                                                                           
Diploma in Management Programme (M-DIMP) launched in September                                                                                        
2000.                                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                      
Its appeal lies in its off-campus feature where students can                                                                                          
enroll without having to attend classes.  Subjects are also                                                                                           
offered in modular form.                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                      
The institute has also underlined that the programmes' other                                                                                          
strong points are its flexibility interactive learning,                                                                                               
support system and assurance of quality.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                      
For more information call in 0321654681 or email dedip@mim.edu                                                                                        
and fax 03- 21643217.                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                      
The writer is MIM Public Relations Manager