Achieving Success Beyond Quantity Surveying

At Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology (TAR UMT), not only are students able to deepen their knowledge in the programmes of their interest, students are also nurtured to develop other talents, skills and competencies which add value to their overall learning experience at the University.  Yew Yee Fang, a distinguished graduate of the Bachelor of Quantity Surveying (Hons) programme, exemplifies this ethos through her remarkable achievements both in academics and as a student-athlete.

Yee Fang graduated with distinction back in 2021 and is currently working at IJM Construction Sdn Bhd. Her exceptional academic and co-curricular achievements earned her the Second Runner-up placing of the prestigious Board of Quantity Surveyors Malaysia (BQSM) Student Excellence Award in December 2022, an honour bestowed annually upon only three Bachelor’s degree graduates selected from among institutions of higher learning across the country. 

“I opted to pursue Quantity Surveying due to the growing demand within the construction industry and familial encouragement and I chose TAR UMT because of its esteemed reputation in delivering high quality education. Throughout my academic journey, I consistently maintained my GPA and excelled in the many challenging coursework and assignments I had to complete. My lecturers were not only helpful and knowledgeable but they also encouraged me to explore further, resulting in me discovering and strengthening other important skills. At the same time, I was a dedicated student-athlete in the University’s basketball team, where besides taking on the role of the Vice-Captain of the team, I was also part of the basketball team that competed in the ASEAN University Games in 2018. All in all, I can confidently say that I had a fulfilling campus life at TAR UMT and the recognition I received from BQSM further strengthens this point,” she said.

Yew Yee Fang (second from left) receiving the BQSM Student Excellence Award from Dato’ Sr Aziz bin Abdullah (leftmost), the then President of BQSM. Accompanying them are Pn Norazrina binti Mohd Aini (third from left), Deputy Dean of Faculty of Built Environment (FOBE), TAR UMT and Ir Han Seng Kong (rightmost), Dean of FOBE, TAR UMT.

This high achiever’s list of achievements continues to grow such as her final year project, titled ‘A Study on Employee Engagement towards Building Information Modelling (BIM) Adoption in Malaysian Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs),’ not only contributed to her academic success but also showcased her commitment to addressing real-world challenges in the industry. It was submitted and presented in the Royal Institution of Surveyors Malaysia (RISM) International Research Conference 2022 (IRC 4.0) and will be published in the Malaysian Construction Research Journal (MCRJ).

Also, her success in receiving the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) Certificate of Excellence 2021 motivated Yee Fang to continue aiming high in her career and life. “Being a recipient of the CIOB Certificate of Excellence has been a significant honour and a source of motivation to continue pushing the boundaries of what I can achieve in construction, not only for personal growth but also for the betterment of the industry as a whole. This award also emphasises the importance of continued learning, commitment and innovation in construction. I am immensely grateful for this recognition and this will be a great reminder to persevere when I face future challenges, especially in my career.”

“The Beyond Education experience I went through at TAR UMT has helped me learn and grow tremendously. Not only did I graduate with a professionally recognised degree in quantity surveying, but it also deepened my passion for basketball which led me to take on a leadership role in the team and also to represent the country. I can now focus on building my career and start carving my own path in life not only to be successful but also to continue learning and growing into a good and contributing citizen in the society,” she shared.