Proton recently launched its Business Case Study Challenge, attracting nearly 300 students from six public and private universities across Malaysia. This initiative aims to identify and nurture young talent through the Proton Young Talent (PYT) programme, ultimately expanding its employee pool.
The competition tasks participants with developing and presenting solutions to real-world business case studies. Students are expected to use data analysis, business insights, and innovative thinking to craft their responses. Open to students across all semesters, teams must consist of four to six members.
The three-month challenge, which began in September, was inaugurated with a talk by Proton’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Li Chunrong. Titled “The Journey of Proton’s Revival,” the talk was delivered on September 18 to 150 students at Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP), one of the six participating universities.
During the latest session at UTP, 17 groups competed, with five teams advancing to the final presentation. After a thorough evaluation by Proton’s senior leadership and UTP faculty, the top three teams were announced, with three students receiving conditional offers to join the PYT programme in 2025.
“This competition provides an excellent platform for our students to explore innovative solutions for real-world business challenges. Companies like Proton, with their focus on digital transformation and electric vehicles, offer exciting opportunities for graduates to apply their skills in a dynamic industry,” said YBhg Professor Dato’ Ir Ts. Dr Mohamed Ibrahim Abdul Mutalib, Vice Chancellor of UTP.
UTP has a strong history of collaboration with Proton, with eight students completing internships and four graduates currently employed at the company. The partnership will continue, with a career fair and assessment centre planned at UTP in October, further supporting the PYT programme and potential candidate evaluation.
“The Proton Business Case Study Challenge fosters creativity and analytical thinking, giving students a comprehensive understanding of diverse business strategies. It prepares them for real-world challenges and lays the foundation for their future careers,” said Amran Bin Mohd Tomin, Proton’s Vice President of Human Capital & Admin.
The participating universities, including DRB-HICOM University of Automotive Malaysia in Pahang and Universiti Malaya in Kuala Lumpur, were selected for their strong engineering programmes and potential contributions to the automotive industry. The challenge, evaluated on seven criteria such as issue identification, depth of analysis, and innovative thinking, will continue in phases until November.
The top teams from each university will compete in a grand final in the Klang Valley in November. University-level winners will receive RM2,000 in cash, while the grand champion will take home RM5,000.
Proton plans to extend the competition to more states next year. “Our collaboration with universities and student associations reflects our commitment to nurturing young talent. Through the PYT programme and internships, we aim to empower the next generation of automotive professionals,” said Amran.
