It Takes Three

I work for SMR HR Group here in Malaysia. They gave me a phone, and even pay the phone bill.. too bad I left it in Ipoh. 

The company has been hired by the Malaysian Ministry of Education and is hiring teachers

           “to share their skills and help teachers in Malaysia to not just improve their English, but also their confidence and ability to teach.. English.”

English Language Trainers are pretty popular around here right now… they are still advertising for them. 

The British Council is hiring for the same thing in Borneo: the Malaysian part of the Island. And on the west coast here is Teachaway, doing the same thing.   

The contract here with the education department is just one of SMR’s  projects, they have many. 

The company was started in 1978, but only incorporated in Malaysia in 2004. It is a part of the SMR Technologies Berhad and has offices in Singapore, Bahrain, Brunei, U.A.E., India and Indonesia, doing Human Resource training in the petroleum, hotel and public sectors: like the police department in Brunei.  The office in Kuala Lumpur is in the Central Plaza.. or “Plaza Sentral” in Malay. 

Dr. Palen (Palenlappan A/L Ramanathan Chetler) is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.  He is also the founder of the group in KL. And very proud of this achievement.  He is a tall, soft-spoken, lanky, dark skinned gentleman in his late 50’s.  With a B.Sc., an M.A., PHD, and an APT.. which I think has something to do with business and was obtained in California, he is a pretty good speaker.  He has a very posh accent: a little American, a little British..  Dr. Palen has written quite a number of HR books, including Creating Your Own Rainbow.

He strives to be creative, and encourages creativity in those around him.

It is a good company, young and energetic: eyes on the future.  Makes it rather exciting, but also a little frustrating as it stumbles a bit at times.  The world is changing, and companies like this one have to change so quickly to keep up.

I will spend part of my ‘holiday’ here in Sebak Bernam trying to figure out how to get my reports on the ‘web portal’ they have set up.  Looking at Facebook (yes.. all the mentors are ‘friends’ on the SMR page) it has been a chore so far.  The portal has been ‘outsourced’ to India.. so we deal with the issues that come with cultural, technological, and language barriers that come with the English/Malay/Indian/ techie trail we have to wind our way through.  So far I have been able to let others walk it first.. but it is about time I set forth on this journey as well. 

There is lots to learn, for sure.  Besides the logistics of the schools and the culture, the teaching and mentoring, the personal and physical stuff.. there is the technology…

And I can’t even hold on to my phone!