Higher education and employability mentor up for prestigious award

An Essex law graduate who has helped to empower young people in Malaysia through employability development and higher education has been nominated for a Study UK Alumni Award.

Sharifah Hani Yasmin Syed Abdullah, who graduated with an LLB Law in 2017 and later served as Vice-President International of the Students’ Union, has been shortlisted for this year’s Social Action award.

The Study UK Alumni Awards, hosted by the British Council, celebrate international alumni who are using their UK education to make significant contributions to their communities, industries and countries.

Inspired by her time at Essex, Sharifah left University with a goal to create meaningful change in her community.

After returning to Malaysia, she immediately noticed the disparity between higher education in Malaysia and the UK as well as the access to different career opportunities.

Since graduating, she has dedicated her own career to advocating for young people by making education and employment opportunities more accessible.

As founder of One Step Closer, an employability initiative for jobseekers, and SYP Services, a higher education advisory service, Sharifah has directly supported more than 3,000 Malaysians through employability workshops, mentored over 100 students applying for UK scholarships and partnered with organisations such as TalentCorp, PEOPLElogy, and TalentLabs to promote training programmes across the country.

Reflecting on the role Essex played in shaping her leadership and advocacy, she said: “Malaysia's system tends to favour traditional employment paths, and I do not believe I could have built this trajectory without the confidence, advocacy, and practical skills cultivated in the UK.

"Through my work, I encourage Malaysians to explore careers beyond these conventional boundaries, showing that ambition, skill development, and global perspectives can unlock fulfilling careers as well.”

Sharifah’s work has received national recognition, including being named Favikon’s #1 Career Coach and one of Malaysia’s Top 10 LinkedIn Creators of 2025.

She has mentored young women with women empowerment organisations Girls for Girls Malaysia and helped secure mentors for women returning to the workforce with Lean In Malaysia.

As a WOSSO Fellow, she led workshops for more than 300 underprivileged women, including stay-at-home mothers and unemployed B40 participants, citizens that earn less than RM5,249 per month.

Her expertise also led to invitations from the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) to speak at the Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development in Bangkok and later at the United Nations High-Level Political Forum in New York, representing Malaysian civil society.

There, she advocated for women’s workforce inclusion and digital upskilling.

She supports initiatives with the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development Malaysia and is championing a national digital skills curriculum for women, promoting digital equality.

Looking back on her journey since Essex, she said: “The combination of UK-honed analytical skills, leadership experience, and cross-cultural confidence has enabled me to build a career that empowers others, challenges systemic barriers, and applies education and professional development in ways that generate sustainable impact.”

She added: “Being named a finalist for the Malaysian National Award for Social Action is a deeply meaningful recognition of the work I’m passionate about. It reinforces my commitment to creating positive social impact and I’m proud to represent the Essex alumni community through this journey”.

The awards ceremony will take place in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday 27 January where one winner from each of the four award categories will be announced.