RIYI 2026: Preparing Graduates for Work in the Age of AI

Learn these skills in the courses AI at Work (BL-AIW), Work Management (BL-WM) and Leadership Reimagined (BL-LR).

What RIYI Is

RIYI is an industry-led mentorship programme run by REHDA Institute. It connects final-year students and fresh graduates with CEOs and senior leaders. The aim is simple: graduates who are ready for work from day one.

The 2026 programme ran in three sessions:

Session 1, 25 April 2026, Wisma REHDA. First impressions, elevator pitches and career sharing.
Session 2, 20 June 2026, Sime Darby Property SJCC Gallery. Theme: “On the Job as a Gen Z in a Gen Y & X Workplace”.
Session 3, 26 September 2026, Monash University Malaysia. Leading in the age of AI, then graduation.

About 50 students from more than 15 universities took part, mentored by 23 industry leaders. The programme has three capability pillars:

AI and digital skills
emotional intelligence and corporate-ready skills
ESG and sustainability

Session 3: Leading in the Age of AI

The final session moved mentees from doing tasks to leading results.

Morning keynote: Climbing the Career Ladder in the Age of AI.
Career clinic, Station 1: AI judgment and strategic value. Mentees worked on a feasibility study with a tight deadline. They decided what AI could do, and what still needed human judgment.
Career clinic, Station 2: influence and stakeholder management. Mentees planned how to win support across functions.
Lunch mentoring: leadership mindset, work-life balance and staying connected as alumni.
Afternoon keynote: From Executive to Leader and Beyond.
Negotiation and influence masterclass: six high-impact workplace conversations, rehearsed as role-plays. Mentors coached each mentee on tone, empathy and emotional control.
3-Year Career Mastery Blueprint. Each mentee linked personal values to 3-year goals, quarterly priorities and weekly actions.
Commitment plan: each mentee wrote how they will give back to society.

How Kognifi Contributed

Mentor Guidebook: Kognifi co-developed the RIYI Mentor Guidebook with REHDA Institute. It sets the same learning outcomes for every mentor group. Read EdgeProp.my’s report on RIYI 2026.
Session materials: for each session, Kognifi wrote the mentor guidebook and the mentee workbook. These held the scenarios, worksheets and role-play script guides.
Facilitation: Logarajah Thambyrajah (Logga), Principal Consultant at Kognifi, facilitated the sessions. In Session 3 he led the introductions and transitions. The mentors could then focus on coaching.
Planning with the organisers: Kognifi planned each run-of-show with the REHDA Institute team. Every mentee had time to speak.

RIYI 2026 Session 1 mentors and mentees at Wisma REHDA — RIYI 2026 Session 1 at Wisma REHDA, 25 April 2026. Photo: REHDA Institute.

What RIYI 2026 Found

RIYI surveyed 158 students and recent graduates from 21 universities, and 44 employers. The data is as at 17 September 2026.

Students know the cost of living is high, and they want to upskill.
Employers point to low productivity in the first months and to tight pay scales.
41.6% of students say a graduate adds value within 1 to 3 months. Only 2.9% of employers agree.
76.4% of students use AI tools regularly. 50% of employers expect AI to cut entry-level hiring.
REHDA Institute presents these as directional findings, not national statistics.

Thank You, REHDA Institute

Much appreciation to the REHDA Institute team for the trust and the partnership. The team brought universities, industry mentors and host venues together in one programme.

Thank you also to the 23 industry mentors and to every host venue. Above all, congratulations to the RIYI 2026 graduates.