want to pursue biotechnology after spm?

dear adik-adik lepasan spm semua.

are you interested in pursuing biotechnology but you don’t know if it’s worth it? let me spill the beans to help you guys think about it!

so, what is biotechnology, you may ask (or you may not because you already know it). the short answer is: the use of living things or biological systems to develop products and technologies that improve human life. but in other words, you use living organisms OR their biological processes to improve how we live. improve is the keyword that i want to emphasize. and when i say “use living things”, it’s not just about randomly modifying everything like in movies. it can be using bacteria, yeast, enzymes, or even cells, and applying controlled biological processes like fermentation, genetic engineering, or diagnostics to produce useful stuff.

the simple example i can give is yogurt and cheese. these products involve bacteria (and sometimes enzymes too in cheese-making). in yogurt, bacteria ferment lactose into lactic acid, which gives that sour taste and texture. through controlled processes like this, we get yogurt and cheese, which we then use in food, flavouring, etc. but of course biotechnology is not all about food.

we can also do cloning, make vaccines, develop medicines, work on diagnostics, or even create technologies using biological systems. biotechnologists can go into numerous sectors. the main ones would be agricultural, environmental, industrial, and medical/healthcare.

you can choose which path you like the most.

if you are interested in improving agricultural output like paddy to increase food security, you can go for agriculture. this is where you work on things like crop improvement, disease resistance, or yield enhancement.

if your main concern is the environment, then you’ll probably enjoy environmental biotech more. this is where you look into things like biodegradable plastics, waste treatment, or reducing pollution using biological methods.

if you’re more into industry, then you’ll likely end up in manufacturing-related roles, quality control, or quality assurance. here, your job is basically making sure products follow strict guidelines and regulations (both local and international). you might also get involved in research and development or industrial lab operations.

lastly is medicine / healthcare.

i think most of you who take biotechnology imagine working in a lab. and yes, this is one of the paths. but it’s not only “lab all day every day” like people think. you can become a microbiologist, lab technologist, lab assistant, or even go into clinical research or pharmaceutical-related roles. in hospital labs, you may handle patient samples like blood or tissues, and analyse them to detect abnormalities. from there, findings contribute to diagnosis and treatment decisions. you can also go into vaccine development, drug research, or genetic work involving genetically modified organisms (GMOs), like improving crops or studying traits for better yield or quality. there’s actually a lot more, but i’ll leave it at that.

so, now you’ve got the gist of it. you may wonder: what about the job market? is it high demand? easy to get a job?

well, based on my current situation, i am struggling to find a job related to my field. yikes.

but to be fair, it’s not just about the degree. unless you are really strong academically, consistently performing, or you have solid hands-on skills (like PCR, cell culture, lab techniques, GMP knowledge, etc.), it can be competitive. a lot of graduates are competing for similar entry-level roles. so, make sure you are actually interested in it and not only because you imagine yourself wearing a lab coat and looking cool in a lab, yeah.

also, i must let you guys know that if you want to work in a lab, don’t expect perfect work-life balance all the time. lab work involves protocols, precision, waiting time, and sometimes experiments that take hours or days to show results. some cells are very sensitive, so conditions like temperature, timing, and contamination control matter a lot. you have to be disciplined, precise, and very attentive to details. and even then, results don’t always go your way. you’ll repeat methods, troubleshoot, fail, adjust, and try again. that’s just how it is. but of course, you also learn from it. you note what works, what doesn’t, and improve your methods over time.

so in conclusion, make sure you’re truly keen. the job market in malaysia is competitive in this field. you can aim for companies like b. braun, boston scientific, fisher, and others, but you’ll also be competing with other strong candidates.

you can always opt for working overseas, but of course, sometimes you just want to stay close to your loved ones. in the end, it’s all up to you.

that’s all! all the best for your endeavours.