How to Become a Software Engineer or Programmer in Malaysia?

Education Pathway after SPM or IGCSE/O-Levels to Work as a Software Engineer or Programmer in Malaysia

With software permeating virtually all aspects of our work in our society, a Software Engineering graduate in Malaysia has the option to work in many different sectors such as telecommunications, finance, health care, manufacturing, retailing, security, transport. Other engineering areas like aeronautical, automotive, mechatronic, building, electrical, etc. also have increasing needs for software engineering. The entertainment industry with video games and movie animation also has a large demand for Software Engineers.

As a Software Engineer you will be a qualified professional involved in the technical work of designing, coding, and testing large software products. You will also be responsible for tasks such as directing projects, managing teams, estimating costs and resources, assessing business plans, reviewing proposals and suggesting innovations.

Software developers usually have a bachelor’s degree in software engineering or computer science. The need for new applications on mobile devices and tablets will help increase the demand for application software developers. Software and applications developers work in many different fields, with growth expected in the medical insurance, consumer electronics, and cybersecurity fields. In addition, software Developers are sought after by IT consultancy and banking employers. In high demand are PHP, C++, C#, JAVA/J2EE, ASP.Net, SharePoint and Mobile Application (Android / iOS / Mobile Web) Developers.

The Software Engineering career is rewarding with reasonably high salaries in Malaysia. It is an excellent pathway for students who possess an interest in computing & technology, logical, creative, and a strong mathematics foundation. Read on to find out how you can become a Software Engineer or Programmer in Malaysia.

You may also be interested to read:

• Top 10 Universities to Study Software Engineering in Malaysia
• All you need to Know about the Software Engineering Course in Malaysia
  
• Choosing a Top University in Malaysia to Study Computer Programming Course
• Find Out the Difference Between the Top 3 Computing Courses in Malaysia – Information Technology (IT), Computer Science & Software Engineering
• Top 10 Diploma in Computer Science, Diploma in Software Engineering or Diploma in Information Technology (IT) Course at Top Universities in Malaysia
• Malaysia’s Best Foundation in Information Technology (IT) / Computer Studies
• Computer Science vs Software Engineering Degree Courses at Top Private Universities in Malaysia

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How to Become a Software Engineer or Programmer?

In order to become a Software Engineer or Programmer, the basic requirement from employers is a degree in Software Engineering or Computer Science. In addition to that, Certification courses in the area of specialisation required is vital to your career progression.

The first step for students who have just completed the SPM or IGCSE/O-Levels and are sure of a career in Software Engineering, may pursue the Foundation in Computing or Information Technology at a top private university in Malaysia. The Foundation in Computing & Technology is 1 year in duration. Upon completion, you will go on to the 3-year Computer Science or Software Engineering degree.

Alternatively, students who have at least 3 credits in SPM or IGCSE/O-Levels including Maths, may go for the 2-year Diploma in Information Technology, Diploma in Computer Studies or Diploma in Software Engineering and then enter into Year 2 of the degree course.

Finally, Pre-University students with the relevant results can enter directly into Year 1 of the Computer Science or Software Engineering degree at the best university in Malaysia.

During your degree studies, as you familiarise with the subjects, you can start choosing the specialisation that you want to focus for your future career and take the Certification courses related to this area.

What’s the Entry Requirements for Foundation in Computing & Information Technology (IT)?

Foundation in Computing & Information Technology (IT) courses are intensive, focused one-year courses which prepare students for your degree studies in Malaysia and guarantee entry to the university of interest upon successful completion.

This Foundation course can also be known as Foundation in IT, Foundation in Computing & Technology or Foundation in Science & Technology depending on the university that offers it. It is a one-year Pre-University programme designed by the Private University to prepare you for the undergraduate degree studies in computing.

The Foundation in Computing & Information Technology (IT) courses provide a solid foundation for students to adapt to university education more confidently, both in terms of level and style of education of the particular university.

• ​SPM/IGCSE/O-levels – 5 credits inclusive of Mathematics
• UEC – 3 credits inclusive of Mathematics

What’s the Entry Requirements for Diploma in Information Technology (IT)?

The Diploma in Information Technology (IT) may also be known as Diploma in Software Engineering or Diploma in Computer Studies. The Diploma in Information Technology (IT) is the first step for students after SPM or IGCSE/O-Levels wanting to pursue a tertiary education in computer science.

The course in Malaysia is designed for those without any computing knowledge as well as those who wish to pursue careers in computer-based environments, particularly in programming and information systems.

Students can take the Diploma for 2 years and then upon completion, continue on into Year 2 of any of the Computing fields.

• SPM/IGCSE/O-Levels – At least credits in THREE (3) subjects, including Mathematics and ONE (1) relevant science subject AND a pass in English;
• UEC – Minimum 3 credits inclusive of Mathematics and Science (Pass is required for English)

What’s the Entry Requirements for Software Engineering Degree Programmes at Private Universities in Malaysia?

• ​Foundation in IT/Engineering/Arts/Science – CGPA of 2.0, and credit (C) in SPM/IGCSE/O-level Mathematics
• STPM – CGPA of 2.0 and credit (C) in SPM Mathematics
• ​A-Level Minimum 2 D principals and credit (C) in SPM/IGCSE/O-level Mathematics
• ​UEC – 5 credits (B6), including Additional Mathematics
• Canadian Pre-U
  Minimum average of 60% in 6 subjects, inclusive of minimum 60% score in Mathematics and minimum Credit (C) in Additional Mathematics at SPM/IGCSE/O-Level/equivalent
• AUSMAT/HSC/SACE/TEE/WACE/SAM
  Minimum average of 60% in 5 subjects, inclusive of minimum 60% score in Mathematics and minimum Credit (C) in Additional Mathematics at SPM/IGCSE/O-Level/equivalent

Take Certification Courses During Your Degree Programme

While at university you will study a wide range of computing subjects, and after a while you will figure out which area that you would like to focus or specialise in your future career. This is where the certification courses come in.

Graduates who possess the relevant Certification credentials opens the door to more opportunities organisations prefer to hire candidates with a certification. The reason for this is simple—it stands as proof that more than just your Curriculum Vitae (CV), you have been taught the relevant tools and techniques as well to a standard that’s needed for the company’s computing needs. The relevant certification demonstrates your suitability for a certain software development position that require that specific skill set.

The best software engineering certification programme narrows down a specific area to give you in-depth knowledge in a few subjects. Your plan for professional development and personal aspirations should determine your certification choice.

Gaining certification showcases your skill as a software engineer to potential employers. No matter your specialization in the coding industry, a developer-related or programming certificate boosts your resume. It’ll help you stand out from competing candidates.

What does a certified software engineer do?

A certified software engineer uses programming languages and engineering principles to design and build software and computer systems that solve real-world problems. They use their skills to develop everything from computer games to network control systems.

Frontend developers mainly focus on the visual design of the app or website, while backend developers mainly focus on the usability and flow of the system. In addition, software engineers are also tasked with testing, improving, and maintaining the products of other engineers.

What are the Top Certifications for Software Engineers?

A software engineering certification is a professional credential issued after you take an exam in a particular field of software development.

Here are some of the top certifications to consider pursuing if you’re looking to strengthen your software engineering qualifications:

• Certified Secure Software Lifecycle Professional
  • The cybersecurity organization (ISC)² offers the Certified Secure Software Lifecycle Professional or CSSLP certification to test your skills in software development safety and security practices. It reviews content on software design, security requirements, implementation practices and application testing, operational maintenance among other topics. Earning the CSSLP certification demonstrates your ability to identify vulnerabilities in your software engineering projects, protect client data and guard against security breaches through best practices for cybersecurity.
• Certified Software Development Professional
  • The Certified Software Development Professional (CSDP) exam from the IEEE Computer Society is one of the standard industry certifications for software engineers. This advanced certification is for experienced software engineers and recommends at least two years of related professional experience or computer science education. It requires four other IEEE CS certifications as prerequisites: Software Requirements, Software Design, Software Construction and Software Testing.
• Certified Software Engineer
  • The Institute of Certification of Computing Professionals (ICCP) offers a wide range of certifications for IT professionals, including the Certified Software Engineer designation. You can earn this certification by taking three exams from ICCP: Information Systems Core, Software Engineering and Object-Oriented Analysis and Design.
• CIW Web Development Professional
  • CIW is a widely recognized IT certification company that offers certificates in several paths. Their web development series is especially useful for software engineers that want to display their knowledge of programming, database engineering and other web skills. To become a CIW Certified Web Development Professional, you need to pass three exams:
    • JavaScript Specialist: 55 questions, 90 minutes
    • Database Design Specialist: 50 questions, 90 minutes
    • Perl Specialist: 50 questions, 75 minutes
  • These certifications cover programming language essentials like data categorization and syntax, interacting with files, implementing websites and debugging techniques.
• C programming language
  • C is of the most integral programming languages for software developers and engineers. Many advanced certifications require certificates in C and its popular derivative C++ as a prerequisite, so getting certified is a great way to start building your skills. The C++ Institute has four certifications you can take based on skill level with the professional level certificates requiring you to first pass the associate level:
    • C Programming Language Certified Associate (CLA)
    • C Certified Professional Programmer (CLP)
    • C++ Certified Associate Programmer (CPA)
    • C++ Certified Professional Programmer (CPP)
• Oracle
  • Oracle is a cloud platform and application provider that offers its own certifications to confirm competency with its products. Oracle is an extremely popular platform, and software engineers can benefit from taking Oracle certifications in Java, SQL, cloud infrastructure, database development, systems and virtualization. There are six levels of proficiency you can earn, ranging from Junior Associate to Master.
  • The MySQL Oracle certification is especially useful for software engineers who use SQL development in their software projects. The certification test reviews software infrastructure, architecture and syntax among other subjects, with increasing difficulty for each level.
• Microsoft
  • Because so many companies use Microsoft services like Azure to run their software needs, getting an official certification from Microsoft can strengthen your qualifications as a software engineer.
  • After taking the Azure Fundamentals certification example, you can qualify to become an Azure Security Engineer Associate, DevOps Engineer Expert, Azure AI Engineer Associate, Azure Data Engineer Associate or Azure Solutions Architect Expert depending on what kind of software engineering you want to focus on.
• Amazon Web Services (AWS)
  • If you’re looking for a software engineer position where you use the Amazon Web Services platform to develop web applications, consider seeking the AWS Certified Developer certification. The associate level exam covers the fundamentals of AWS, best practices for AWS architecture, user support, web development and deployment, debugging and software lifecycle management.
  • If you master the AWS Certified Developer Test, you can take additional certifications like AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional or AWS Certified Machine Learning.
• Salesforce
  • Salesforce is a prolific customer relationship management software provider that offers a certificate to confirm your ability to design applications on their cloud-based system. Your Salesforce certification can help you get noticed at any company that uses Salesforce to interact with customers. The Salesforce Platform Developer I and II, JavaScript Developer I and B2C Commerce Developer certifications test your programming skills in the context of the various Salesforce and Lightning platforms.
• Agile
  • While the Agile project management methodology isn’t exclusively a software engineering concept, many companies look for candidates with Agile certifications to facilitate their software development cycles. There are many different versions of Agile, so consider seeking multiple certifications to demonstrate your expertise to a range of potential employers.
  • Start by taking the Certified ScrumMaster course from ScrumAlliance for $595 to show your project management skills, then take the Certified Scrum Developer test to relate your knowledge of Agile to software engineering.
• Chef
  • Chef is a popular server configuration software program that businesses use to automate their services. They offer five “badges” or certification levels that describe your proficiency in developing networks and programs using Chef: Chef Fluency, Cookbook Deployment, Extending Chef, Cookbook Development and Auditing with InSpec. The certifications cover topics like Chef design theory, workflow management, Ruby programming, custom resources, user roles and system troubleshooting.
• CareerFoundry Full-Stack Web Development Certification
  • A web development certification shows employers that you are skilled in designing and setting up websites and web interfaces from scratch.
  • Professionals in this field will typically be known as developers, coders, programmers, or software engineers, depending on their level of expertise. This role is further divided into frontend website development, backend website development, and full-stack web development.