Forest Interactive Foundation in partnership with CIMB Foundation today launched the second cohort of the #seKODlah programme, #seKODlah for Business, following the inception of the pilot programme last year. The enhanced initiative is designed to empower aspiring Malaysians to deepen their knowledge in kick-starting their career or business in the digital and technology sector.
The extended collaboration with CIMB Foundation is aimed at further enhancing and nurturing university graduates and budding entrepreneurs the required knowledge and skillsets to be future marketers through a rigorous curriculum to enable their full potential.
Participants were provided with the required tools and resources to sharpen their digital marketing knowledge, enhanced with coaching in soft skills to encourage entrepreneurial spirit through a series of diversified workshops and group projects. The programme concluded with a final pitching competition where participants presented their best ideas to a panel of industry experts.
Johary Mustapha, Founder and CEO of Forest Interactive Foundation said, “#seKODlah for Business is our new initiative to prepare future innovators with the necessary skills to thrive in emerging roles within the tech industry. Malaysia is experiencing rapid digitalization, and as a homegrown tech company, we play an important role in influencing and encouraging the youths to participate in growing the local digital economy.”
“This second cohort with CIMB Foundation is different from our first #seKODlah,” Johary continues. “We wanted to address the importance of digital marketing this time around. The programme is tailored for passionate graduates or individuals that are interested in pursuing a career or starting their own business in the digital economy. Participants will be equipped with industry knowledge that will help them measure and achieve their career goals utilizing digital marketing best practices.”
Rafe Haneef, Chief Executive Officer of CIMB Foundation said, “With the intense digitalisation and transformation seen in the way to do business post pandemic, future-proofing our talents with the right knowledge and skill sets in the digital space is not only needed but required. As such, we are pleased to once again work on a meaningful collaboration with Forest Interactive Foundation for the second cohort of the #seKODlah programme. Together, we are catalysing growth amongst graduates and aspiring entrepreneurs by providing them with an avenue to hone their talent and skills for the digital space. Underscoring one of the Foundation’s key impact areas, Economic Empowerment, we hope the #seKODlah programme will serve as an impetus to propel our youth and budding business owners to become future leaders in the high-demand technology industry.”
Malaysia has the highest internet usage rate in the region with 54.7% of users using the internet for information pertaining to products or brands, which is driven by the nation’s robust digital and technological advancements. This is a strong testament to the significance of digital marketing as the ideal way to unlock new opportunities in scaling up businesses and contribute to the longevity of business in the contemporary world.
Understanding the importance of youth development, Forest Interactive Foundation is one of the forerunners in organising educational campaigns that help nurture future digital talents and prepare them for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR4.0). The #seKODlah for Business bootcamp is open for final-year university students, between-job individuals, or founders of newly established start-ups.
A total of 16 participants were shortlisted to take on this journey in discovering the most important aspects of leveraging digital tools and knowledge for business in a practical, hands-on, and intimate digital marketing class.
Workshops & Mentoring
Supported by CIMB Foundation and facilitated by Forest Interactive Foundation, the 12-day intensive boot camp consisted of workshops led by established instructors from Elfo, a digital marketing agency, on topics, such as:
· Digital Marketing 101
· Social Media 101
· Facebook, Instagram & Google Ads
· Industrial Knowledge (Thought Leadership, SEO Foundation, Business Proposals, Advanced Digital Marketing Strategy)
These workshops were tailored to equip participants with the necessary tools and techniques to create an integrated digital marketing plan. By the end of each session, participants were able to develop an accurate and measurable objective for their digital marketing activities.