FROM CLASSROOM TO INDUSTRY: INSIGHTS ON SOPS FROM AN ENGINEERING EXPERT

Gambang, 21 April 2025 - The recent Global Classroom session “Navigating Success: The Critical Role of SOPs in Industry” organised by ULE2332 English for Technical Communication proved to be a tremendous success, offering students an eye-opening experience into the real-world implementation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).  

Featuring Muhammad Hakim bin Samsul Bahri, a Senior Engineer at Verkor SA, France, the insightful session covered a structured and practical overview of SOPs, specifically on technical SOPs. The speaker also talked about key elements in technical SOPs such as the 5 Pillars (Initiation, Planning, Execution, Monitoring & Control, and Closure), as well as tools like Gantt Charts, the RACI Matrix, and escalation procedures. On the technical side, students learned about SOP drafting, safety regulations, and horizontal deployment strategies which are all essential for ensuring quality, safety, and operational efficiency in engineering fields. 

One of the participants, Muhammad Luqman Al-Hakim from the Faculty of Civil Engineering, shared his enthusiastic feedback saying that, “The event was really great as it taught me a lot. Since I’m from civil engineering, many of the things presented were new to me. It was very practical to learn how SOPs are not just documents but actually about creating a safer and more efficient workplace.” His reflection echoed the sentiments of many others who felt that the session broadened their understanding of workplace standards beyond the textbook knowledge. 

This event proved that many important industry practices such as the RACI responsibility matrix, horizontal deployment methods, and failure-mode case studies cannot be fully grasped through theory alone. That is why collaborations with industry professionals are vital, to bring real-life exposure and bridge the gap between academic theory and workplace application.  

The ULE2332 Course Coordinator, Nurkarimah binti Yusof commented “Overall, I am truly delighted and grateful for the opportunity to host another enriching Global Classroom session for ULE2332 students, which marks our third ULE2332 Global Classroom initiatives, following last year’s successful session ‘Ace Your Tech Talk: Technical Oral Presentation & Process Explanation Strategies’. Each global classroom session not only fosters global exposure on the specific topics discussed, but also sparks curiosity, motivation and deeper appreciation for technical communication in industry settings.” 

In summary, the success of this Global Classroom session highlights the importance of continuing such initiatives in preparing the students with expectations and challenges of the working world, thus shaping them to be globally competent and industry-ready graduates.  

Prepared by: Siti Asma’ Yaacob, Nurkarimah Yusof and Abdul Jalil Abdul Rahim