Suntory Beverage & Food (Thailand) Co., Ltd., a market leader of health supplement products under BRAND'S trademark in Thailand and Asia, has formalized a partnership with the Faculty of Commerce and Accountancy, Thammasat University by signing a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). This collaboration aims to "enhance the higher education curriculum in Commerce and Accountancy", focusing on practical learning, internships, and academic projects that tackle real-world business challenges. The signing ceremony occurred at Meeting Room 500, on the 5th Floor of the Faculty of Commerce and Accountancy, Thammasat University, Tha Prachan, on 1 August 2024.
Natthanicha Worawannaseth, Senior Vice President of Corporate Functions at Suntory Beverage & Food (Thailand) and Indochina Co., Ltd., highlighted that with the company's value of "Giving Back to Society" and its sustainability priority of improving the Thai population's health and well-being, it gives high importance on educational development as a foundation for the new generation's success in the professional world, which is critical to future growth of Thailand's economy and society. This dedication resulted in the signing of the MOU, aiming to combine the academic excellence of Thammasat University's Faculty of Commerce and Accountancy with the business acumen and professionalism of Suntory Beverage & Food (Thailand), a market leader in Asia's health supplements. The collaboration includes a variety of activities aimed at providing students with practical skills and insights that are relevant to the current demands of the business world. Furthermore, it intends to establish a collaborative network between the educational and private sectors to improve education quality in a concrete and sustainable manner.
"In today's world, social and economic trends are rapidly changing. As a result, large leading organizations require human resources with multidimensional skills, including both technical skills directly related to work (Hard Skills) and social skills required for effective working collaboration (Soft Skills), such as communication, work ethics, positive mindset, and teamwork, both are important factors in ensuring good performance and happiness in workplace. The company will accept students in their penultimate or final year of their undergraduate and graduate studies at Thammasat University's Faculty of Commerce and Accountancy to intern for four months in departments such as Marketing, Finance, Human Resources, Operations, Research and Development, Supply Chain, and Sales. We also hope to provide students with opportunities to visit various company locations and meet with senior executives to exchange perspectives and get inspiration, allowing them to apply their classroom knowledge to the real professional world and prepare for a successful future career path in this field."
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Somchai Supattarakul, Dean of the Faculty of Commerce and Accountancy, Thammasat University, shared that "Thammasat University's Faculty of Commerce and Accountancy, a prominent institution in accounting and business administration, perceives this partnership to be crucial for student preparation by promoting experiential learning from business executives and private sector institutions. The partnership's objective is to combine theoretical knowledge gained from classrooms with practical skills and experiences. Furthermore, it seeks to motivate students by allowing them to work closely alongside company employees and engage in dialogues with top executives on current business perspectives. It also promotes various types of cooperation, aiming to enhance students' business acumen and experiential learning, leading to the creation of high-quality human resources in business administration and accounting for the mutual success of the education and private sectors, in line with the vision 'To cultivate future leaders who sustainably shape ASEAN business."
In addition, other collaborative activities for academic outcomes are included, such as academic competitions, academic projects on social development to improve people's quality of life, and additional academic cooperation projects as agreed upon.
The company's internship program typically selects students in their penultimate or final year of the undergraduate or graduate studies. Internships, lasting four months during an academic term, are provided in a variety of departments, including Marketing, Finance, Human Resources, Operations, Research and Development, Supply Chain, and Sales. They will be reviewed based on their academic performance, relevant coursework, skills and competencies, and an interview process.
According to a survey on the population's unemployment rate conducted by the National Statistical Office, Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, there were 379,000 unemployed people in June 2024, representing an unemployment rate of 0.9%, a decrease of 103,000 people from 482,000 people in May 2024. Higher education graduates had the highest unemployment rate of 139,000 people, followed by upper secondary and vocational graduates with 72,000 people, and, lastly, lower secondary graduates with55,000 people.
With the goal of becoming a leading private sector entity at the forefront of the country's educational progress, the company has formed alliances with various educational institutions to offer comprehensive support that cover a wider group of students. Notable collaborations include signing the MOU with Thammasat University and attending the Annual Business Administration Advisory Board Meeting at Mahidol University International College (MUIC). The latter aims to create a platform for education and private sector leaders to collaborate on strategically shaping the future of business education, ensuring that the curriculum responds to industry needs by incorporating relevant innovation, especially AI technology.
Stay updated on the fascinating activities of Suntory Beverage & Food (Thailand) Co., Ltd., a leading health supplement firm with BRAND'S products sold throughout Thailand and Asia on Facebook and LinkedIn: Suntory Beverage & Food (Thailand); and learn more about the company at https://www.suntorybeverageandfood.co.th/.