Tag Archives: Technical and Vocational Education and Training

More TVET opportunities with Yayasan Sime Darby’s skill programme scholarships & bursaries

TVET & Vocational Training - Malaysian News, TVET/Skills courses, , , , ,
YSD Skill Enrichment Programme

REALISING the indispensable role of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) skills to meet labour market demands, Yayasan Sime Darby (YSD) has extended its provision for the YSD Skill Enrichment Programme.

This is in line with the ongoing reform in the TVET sector which focuses on equipping the youth with employable skills in Malaysia.

Through YSD’s collaborations with its TVET partners, the fields of vocational study opportunities offered under the programme are broadened to support more Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and creative arts courses.

Since 2012, the foundation has been awarding scholarships and bursaries worth over RM34 million to more than 1,300 students under this category.

“With the YSD Skill Enrichment Programme launched today, YSD’s annual allocation for TVET bursaries has increased more than 10-fold from 35 to 400, and we remain focused on assisting needy students,” he said last Wednesday.

Tunku Imran added that it was reported that currently, almost 90 per cent of TVET graduates have been able to get a job after graduation. With the support of the foundation’s TVET partners, YSD intends to push the number higher.

The event also saw YSD hosting its annual Scholarship Award Ceremony with the foundation awarding over RM21 million worth of various scholarships and bursaries to 584 deserving individuals, a majority of which are from underprivileged households.

In line with the government’s agenda to enhance TVET skills among Malaysian youth and recognising TVET as one of the keys to fulfil the country’s aspiration to become a developed nation, YSD is working with four strategic partners: The Department of Polytechnic and Community College Education under the Education Ministry, Sime Darby Industrial Academy, Ramsay Sime Darby Healthcare College and KRU Academy.

Under YSD Special Needs Bursary Programme (undergraduate and diploma bursaries for persons with disabilities), 29 recipients received more than RM1.04 million.

The YSD Special Support Bursary programme (undergraduate and diploma bursaries for students with monthly household income of RM4,000 and below) saw 216 recipients with bursaries worth RM7.56 million.

39 students with outstanding academic achievement and strong leadership qualities were awarded excellence scholarships worth RM4.75 million to pursue pre-university, undergraduate and postgraduate studies at universities in Malaysia, United Kingdom and China.

YSD also celebrated individuals with compelling stories who have weathered many challenges to beat the odds. Among the YSD scholars celebrated this year are individuals with compelling stories who have weathered many challenges to beat the odds. One of them is YSD’s TVET scholar Muhammad Afiq Aminuddin, who was awarded the YSD Role Model Award 2020. 

Afiq, 29, who hailed from a single-parent B40 household in Penang completed his Certificate in Heavy Equipment from Sime Darby Industrial Academy in 2011. He worked at Sime Darby Industrial – Tractors Malaysia as a mechanic and electrician in heavy equipment maintenance and is now an accomplished field mechanic for Baker Hughes, an international energy technology company.

Muhammad Firdaus Abu Hassan, 29, the recipient of YSD Inspirational Award 2020, has proven that success is not beyond reach despite disability and poverty. Being completely blind since the age of 14, he remained ambitious and tenacious in chasing his goals.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology & Sociology, and then a Master of Professional Counselling, both with flying colours. His life story was documented and analysed in a postgraduate study to understand the development of resilience in the underprivileged.

Education has been the main thrust of YSD since its inception in 1982 to offer wisdom, expertise and assistance at all levels of education to promote and advance what people believe they can achieve, especially the underprivileged. To date, YSD has committed over RM289.7 million for scholarships and bursaries, benefitting a total of 4,441 students from diverse backgrounds.

With the YSD Skill Enrichment Programme launched today, YSD’s annual allocation for TVET bursaries has increased more than 10-fold from 35 to 400, and we remain focused on assisting needy students.

Tunku Imran

Governing Council

TVET to have coordinating body

TVET & Vocational Training - Malaysian News, , , ,
Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik (3rd-right) presents a certificate to Human Resource Minister M. Kulasegaran (centre) and others who are part of the National Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Coordinating Body in Putrajaya. – NSTP

PUTRAJAYA: A National Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Coordinating Body will be established to combine various sectors into a single system.

Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik said the body will be established to make sure that TVET, in the future, will be seen as a single entity.

“This is in line with the government’s hopes to make TVET a mainstream choice, instead of an alternative,” he said at the launch of the National TVET Campaign, here, today.

Also present at the event was Human Resources Minister M. Kulasegaran.

Maszlee said the establishment of the body and its objectives will be announced later.

He said the establishment of the body was among five cores of TVET revolution which will help create a skilled workforce by 2030.

“We will be focusing on a financial model to make sure funds are sufficient for TVET, the Shared Ownership Model, strengthening TVET Certification and a National Singular TVET Brand,” he said.

He said the five cores were the way forward and they will provide solutions to all issues pertaining to TVET.

“Among the issues are accreditation, lack of facilities and the TVET system. We are confident that all these problems can be addressed.”

Maszlee said that in order for TVET to be further empowered, a change of mindset was needed.

“We have to involve more industries to strengthen dual-training programmes. We need to shift from industry participation to industry partnership before it can eventually become an industry-led TVET,” he said.

On Aug 14, the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Empowerment Cabinet Committee (JKKPTVET) was set up as the government’s commitment to strengthen coordination and cooperation between ministries and stakeholders in the TVET system.

JKKPTVET comprised eight ministers, namely human resources, youth and sports, works, rural development, entrepreneur development, agriculture and agro-based industry, domestic trade and consumer affairs and education.

Present were JKKPTVET technical chairman Tan Sri Soh Thian Lai and Human Resources Minister M. Kula Segaran. Soh said based on surveys, the main issues and challenges for TVET education included community perception, where people saw it as having limited job opportunities.

“TVET providers also operate in silos, resulting in overlapping courses and creating confusion for students and employers.”

“It is the government’s policy to raise the level of skilled workforce to 35 per cent by 2020. To do so, we need to increase TVET student enrolment to 225,000 by 2020.”

The committee has held six townhalls, five workshops and numerous engagements to strategise the way forward for TVET.

“Based on a series of townhalls, engagements and sessions to support the TVET Empowerment Plan, 20 strategies and 15 recommendations have been proposed based on five pillars, namely governance, funding, industry, quality and branding,”

He also said some industry-led TVET collaborations remain as models for cooperation between the ministry and industry.

They are the FMM–Mida–MOE Apprentice programme, PSDC-Penang Free Trade Zone Industries, Langkawi Tourism Academy and Malaysian Association of Hotels collaboration and Malaysian German Chamber of Commerce German Dual Vocational Training Programme.

Maszlee said he hoped that TVET institutions would work together with universities and innovation agencies to introduce new technology to re-map the institutions according to industry demand.

The National TVET campaign, which runs until November, will include the search of TVET Valued Industry Partners (VIP) and TVET Influencers. There will also be a competition for the national TVET logo and slogan.

The ministry has set seven strategies to achieve these goals.

“The first strategy is to change from ‘train and place’ to ‘place and train’ educational concept; while the second one is to introduce a co-ownership model between the government and industries for equipment technologies, expertise and innovation.

“The third strategy is to establish an industry-based centre of excellence (CoE), while the fourth strategy is about introducing the TVET Valued Industry Partners (TVET VIP) to encourage industries to empower TVET.”

The remaining three strategies involve mobilising flat mobility of expertise to ensure coordination between industries and TVET institutes; creating employment oppurtunities and a level wage to make sure TVET graduates are paid well with good career prospects; and to set up Industry-led Competency Certification Bodies.

Source: www.nst.com.my

For Malay version, you may read here


Comment: Hopefully, TVET Coordinating Body would finally be able to streamline everything into a single system. Else, it will just be another futile effort. Sad to say, Malaysia has many great blueprints & policies, but when it comes to implementation, really sucks. That’s why countries like South Korea that used to be on par with us during the 70’s are now much more advanced that us and countries that used to be behind us like Vietnam is fast catching up & gonna overtake us soon if we don’t buck up!

Vital to get info on TVET to B40 group

TVET & Vocational Training - Malaysian News, ,
Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s promise that technical and vocational education and training (TVET) will be prioritised to reskill the workforce. (NSTP/AHMAD IRHAM MOHD NOOR)

By RONALD BENJAMIN – September 19, 2019 @ 11:14pm

The Association for Community and Dialogue welcomes Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s promise that technical and vocational education and training (TVET) will be prioritised to reskill the workforce.

Dr Mahathir said the poor were too poor compared with the rich and there was a need to increase their income, but not just by increasing their salaries.

The abilities and skills of our workers needs to be improved to become more productive. TVET will lead us to this goal.

The Human Resources and Education Ministries have a major role to play in information dissemination, especially to the Bottom 40 per cent (B40) group.

For our workforce to reskill and upskill themselves, a strategy to disseminate information to youth and workers is vital.

The International Labour Organisation’s Human Resources Development Convention says there is a need for continuous dissemination of employment information to ensure that information and guidance are available to children, young persons and adults, including programmes for disabled people.

This information and guidance shall cover the choice of an occupation, vocational training and related educational opportunities, employment situation and employment prospects, promotion prospects, conditions of work, safety and hygiene at work, and other aspects of working life.

The information and guidance shall be supplemented by information on collective agreements and of the rights and obligations of all concerned under labour law.

The convention builds awareness about rights of workers to human development, in relation to vocational training as well as rights under the labour law.

In Malaysia, it is vital that information on human resources development policies, skills training, labour and industrial laws are disseminated to the B40 group to encourage them to attend TVET education and learn about the importance of being aware of laws governing employment.

Parliamentarians, assemblymen and local councillors should disseminate information to the B40 group.

The government should reach out to opposition parliamentarians in this effort.

RONALD BENJAMIN
Secretary, Association for Community and Dialogue

Source: www.nst.com.my/opinion

Comment: It’s not just the awareness, there are also other critical factors that’s affecting the uptake of TVET courses among the students. What the public is not aware is that there are many students, especially B40 group, could not pursue TVET education due to lack of financing from PTPK (this affects many private providers and directly affects the livelihood of the TVET lecturers, who are mainly in the B40 group as well.
Though public TVET institutions provide courses Free or at minimal fees, there are other challenges as well.

‘New collar’ workers needed to support growing demand

TVET & Vocational Training - Malaysian News,

by ALIFAH ZAINUDDIN

MALAYSIA needs “new collar” employees or individuals with technical, vocational and soft skills to fulfil industry demands, said Human Resources Minister M Kulasegaran (picture). He said such jobs are imperative to the country in order to achieve its goal as a high-income nation by 2020.

“These skills do not require tertiary education, but the technical and vocational education and training (TVET),” he said in a statement yesterday.

He said the need for new collar jobs came after the National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC) concluded its eighth meeting this year.

TVET is one of the key components in the 10th Malaysia Plan. It is the primary force of the government’s aspiration to raise the percentage of skilled workers in the country to 35% in 2020 from the current 28%.

However, it was highlighted last month that while 92% of TVET graduates are able to obtain employment after graduation, about 70% of them earn less than RM1,500 per month.

Since its first meeting in January this year, NLAC has deliberated on various important issues pertaining to labour and human resources. These include the proposed amendments to labour laws, the national human resources policy framework and the code of conduct for industrial harmony.

NLAC has also established technical committees on labour laws reform and other issues such as future of work.

“I am pleased to note that our efforts in the technical committees have been fruitful. For example, the good work of the technical committee paved the way for the Parliament to pass the Workers’ Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities (Amendment) Bill 2019 recently,” said Kulasegaran.

Meanwhile, the Human Resources Ministry has taken note of the Malaysian Trade Union Congress’ (MTUC) request for details of the Integrated Foreign Workers Management Systems’ enhanced system to be tabled in the NLAC meeting for collective deliberation.

The MTUC also welcomed the ministry’s proposal to incorporate the Code of Conduct of Industrial Harmony into the regulations of the Industrial Relations Act 1967, said Kulasegaran.

Earlier in the meeting, the NLAC was briefed about the study tour to Australia’s Fair Work Commission, Fair Work Ombudsman and the Federal Court in Melbourne, Australia, on employment and industrial relations issues. The ninth NLAC meeting is expected to be held on Sept 27.

The ministry, in collaboration with the Finance Ministry, will hold a Budget 2020 focus group meeting on enhancing employee welfare and employment opportunities next week.

NLAC members representing employers and employees have been invited to attend the focus group meeting for their input and feedback on the subject matter.

Source: https://themalaysianreserve.com

Dr M urges major industry players to support TVET

TVET & Vocational Training - Malaysian News, , , ,

PUTRAJAYA: The government has called on Malaysia’s major industry players to support its technical and vocational education and training (TVET) agenda.

Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the government recognises TVET as one of the keys in the country’s aspiration to become a developed nation.

“Graduates from TVET programmes that are joint ventures between public TVET institutions and multinational companies have proven to be successful, where almost 90% of TVET graduates have been able to get a job after graduation.

“Because of this, the major players such as public and private TVET institutes should get out of their comfort zone and find effective solutions.

Dr Mahathir added that producing more skilled manpower would reduce the country’s dependence on foreign workers.

“The government will continue to strive to enhance the capacity of Malaysian youths in TVET to ensure the needs of high technology industries can be met by local workers.

“This will also change the labour market in which the government can prioritise producing more highly skilled jobs that offer high income.

“This is in line with our efforts to attract high quality investments to this country,” said Dr Mahathir.

Later, Dr Mahathir engaged in a dialogue session with chief executives of the industry. Also present was Human Resources Minister M. Kulasegaran.

The theme of the two-day conference is “Human Capital Development to Enhance Future Skills Agenda”.

Source: www.thestar.com.my

Look at bigger picture, says Maszlee

TVET & Vocational Training - Malaysian News, TVETuni, , , ,
Photo for representation only

KUALA LUMPUR: MORE than 5,000 technical and vocational education and training (TVET) courses and science courses offered by universities, polytechnics and technical universities have not been taken up.

Although those courses have greater job prospects, students are not enrolling in those classes.

They include sustainability science, applied plant science, forest resource technology, product development technology, natural resources science, agribusiness, applied physics, industrial chemical technology and business engineering.

Since 2017, 1,251 courses in public universities have been suspended or cancelled. This number is almost 30 per cent of the total courses offered in public universities.

“Maybe it’s not ‘sexy’ enough, but students don’t understand that those courses allow them to be employed even before they graduate,” said Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik in an interview with the New Straits Times Press.

He cited the cybersecurity course offered by Politeknik Mersing, where students could gain employment even before graduating.

“But when it comes to TVET courses, people do not understand as it is a term that explains everything under the sun, and it may be too vast.

Kolej Vokasional Setapak fashion students staging a show in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, recently. FILE PIC

“What I like to emphasise is that there are jobs available in those courses.”

He also said the number of non-Bumiputera students enrolling in polytechnics and technical institutions was very low, and many were focused on entering matriculation and public universities.

“It’s (matriculation) not the only path. We have Form Six, polytechnics, diploma studies and the Teachers’ Education Institute, which do not have any quota. So now, we want others to look at the bigger picture.”

However, Maszlee said there were weaknesses in the ministry’s steps to disseminate information and guide people through the options. In April, he had said the ministry was looking into rebranding TVET programmes, and this included the possibility of changing its name to a more appealing one.

He said the ministry would make TVET a mainstream education choice for students because they viewed it only as a second option and believed it might not help them much in the future.

Source: www.nst.com.my

Comment: Poor public perception aside, I think following are few other issues:
1. The Education Ministry & Human Resource Ministry has not been promoting enough about TVET courses & it’s future & more importantly, effectively.
2. If I’m not mistaken, entrance requirements to these universities, polytechnics and technical universities still requires a pass in SPM BM & History or 3 credits. This actually deprives many SKM or DKM holders who may not qualify academically but yet they are the ones that are inclined to further their study in these technical courses.

Kula: UEC students can apply for TVET

TVET & Vocational Training - Malaysian News, , ,

IPOH: Since July last year, Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) holders have been able to apply to enrol in the government’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), says Human Resources Minister M. Kulasegaran.

He said this was part of the minis­try’s efforts to attract more students to join institutions offering these programmes.

Previously, only those with SPM qualification were accepted into such institutions.

Kulasegaran said the institutions welcomed not only UEC holders but just about anyone, regardless of race or religion, from Tamil or religious schools.

“Thus, we need to loosen the intake rules to get more people to take up TVET,” he told reporters after a dialogue session with the National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) at the Ipoh Indus­trial Training Institute on TVET options for students.

Kulasegaran said his ministry was also discussing with the Education Ministry to look into the possibility of lowering the intake age to 16.

“We want students who are not so academically inclined to pursue the courses of their choice,” he said.

“Many are good with their hands, and such institutions are a prefect choice for them.”

Besides that, Kulasegaran said he had also met with orang asli village heads to get more of their children to take up TVET, some of whom were 18 years of age but possessed only Form One qualification.

He said some of them were in the process of being admitted into the technical schools nationwide.

“There are still 35% of places available. We must find ways to tap the talent we have in the country,” he said.

“TVET must no longer be a second choice but the first choice for most children as technical courses are the way forward.”

Kulasegaran also noted that 94% of trainees from such institutions were employed upon graduation.

These institutions, he said, had existed in the country for many years, with the first set up in Kuala Lumpur in 1964, yet many people were unaware of it.

“Through dialogues with NUTP and other stakeholders, we want to reach out to more students,” he said.

Source: www.nst.com.my
Date: 7th April

Kulasegaran: Join TVET to increase chance of getting hired at SMEs

TVET & Vocational Training - Malaysian News, , , , ,
Human Resources Minister M. Kulasegaran (centre) speaks to reporters during a visit to TalentCorp’s office in Kota Damansara January 23, 2019. — Picture by Ahmad Zamzahuri
Human Resources Minister M. Kulasegaran (centre) speaks to reporters during a visit to TalentCorp’s office in Kota Damansara January 23, 2019. — Picture by Ahmad Zamzahuri
PETALING JAYA, Jan 23 — Small businesses will be more willing to take in graduates if they have undergone technical and vocational education and training (TVET), Human Resources Minister M. Kulasegaran said today.

He said since TVET in Malaysia is already paid for by the government, it was the best option for youths to arm themselves with skills.

“Furthermore parents should also encourage their children to study in TVET. That way SMEs would be more willing to absorb them when they eventually join the workforce,” Kulasegaran said during a visit to TalentCorp Malaysia’s office.

He was responding to PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli’s advice to the government to assist youths in finding jobs at small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

In a post on his blog yesterday, Rafizi said he also believed the government can help to increase the marketability of youths without having to spend “a single cent”.

Source: https://sg.news.yahoo.com

Comment: Most, except for a minority few programs (like aesthethics), esp at Kolej Vokasional, have great facilities…but not the trainers. Was made to understand by the Verifiers for those programs that the trainers are not well versed with the program (to the extent of not being able to identify & use the right equipment for certain treatment….all due to the supplier who supplied the wrong equipment. This bring me to speculate whether there’s element of corruption/kickbacks, causing the supplier to supply cheap, irrelevant equipments at a much inflated price, just like in the past where a simple screw driver may cost 100X more than the market price!)

Hope the PH gov able to put a stop to all these corrupt practices, it’s draining our tax payer’s money & producing sub par quality of graduates.

How will Nurul Izzah’s TVET bill help youths?

TVET & Vocational Training - Malaysian News, , , , , ,

A commission overseeing all Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutes could soon become a reality, thanks to an upcoming private member’s bill by Permatang Pauh MP Nurul Izzah Anwar.

But how will the body – dubbed the Industry Skills Education and Training (ISET) Commission – impact youths who are studying or will study at TVET institutes?

Asked about this in an interview at Parliament on Monday, Nurul Izzah told Malaysiakini that one improvement she hoped to see was for TVET graduates to get adequate wages.

This will be a trickle-down effect stemming from the overall improvement of the TVET programme.

The TVET empowerment committee chairperson said the ISET Commission will, among others, facilitate data sharing between all TVET institutes, many of whom are currently operating in silos.

This will in turn facilitate better matching between TVET programmes and industry needs, for example.

 “If there’s a wonderful report by Mida (Malaysian Investment Development Authority), I’d like to access it so all the TVET institutes can fully utilise it.

“For example, perhaps there’s a plateau in the hospitality field, we don’t have enough hotels for all the graduates (to work in).

“So you can shift into medicine, or telemedicine. Geriatric specialists are especially in need because we have an aging population so maybe the institutes can train them as nurses instead,” she said.

Ensuring better job security

The ISET Commission, she said, will also ensure better job security for TVET graduates and avoid repeats of past situations, such as students from government-run institutes being unable to find employment due to their certificates not being recognised by the Public Service Department (PSD).

 She said the ISET Commission will also work with the Malaysian Qualifications Agency to develop ways to convert TVET programmes into credit hours so graduates can further their studies.

Nurul Izzah also aims to make the ratings of the different TVET institutes public, so that parents and youths can assess which schools are best for them.

“You want to change lives, by having reputable programmes that can allow them to have a better degree of social mobility, and so they can get better pay. This is what we’re about,” she said.

One example that shows how successful TVET can be is Politeknik Mersing’s cybersecurity programme, which the PKR vice-president is especially proud of.

“In Mersing, they have cybersecurity experts that will automatically get a job in Singapore (upon graduation).

“Will I ever look down on cybersecurity graduates in Mersing? Never! Because they know their stuff.

“That’s how you change perception (of TVET). You get meaningful wages through programmes that the industry recognises. It’s a no-brainer,” she said.

Biting the bullet

She stressed that TVET can also help revolutionise other sectors, including agriculture and even traditional sectors in rural areas.

“How about the Orang Asli children in rural areas? They also want jobs, they want opportunities to live in their villages but yet have a meaningful wage.

“So it’s not just about the fourth industrial revolution, but how the Internet helps them achieve their outcome for their traditional sectors,” she said.All this requires strong political will to see changes through, she said.

For example, the government and under-performing TVET institutes must “bite the bullet” and make improvements.

Institutes that don’t improve or don’t fulfill conditions required by the commission will run the risk of being shut down.

Nurul Izzah’s ISET Commission bill is expected to be tabled soon.

Once tabled, it will be up to either the Education or Human Resources Ministries to adopt the bill so that it can be debated in the Dewan Rakyat.

https://m.malaysiakini.com

NIOSH rolls out new initiative for TVET students

TVET & Vocational Training - Malaysian News, , , ,
NIOSH chairman, Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, said the programme can help TVET students save time as they can obtain safety and health competency certificates while they are still studying.

By HIDAYATUL AKMAL AHMAD – August 19, 2018 @ 1:44pm

KUALA LUMPUR: The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has introduced a new initiative for workers undergoing Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).

The initiative, known as Safety Health Officers for Higher Learning Institutes or SHO for IPT, enables TVET students to obtain professional competency certificates while studying at their respective institutes.

NIOSH chairman, Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, said the programme can help TVET students save time as they can obtain safety and health competency certificates while they are still studying.

The SHO for IPT programme will be handled completely by NIOSh at the respective institutes in order to minimise cost and preserve the course’s standards.

“NIOSH is also organising exam preparation workshops and four comprehensive examination papers for the programme,” he said in a statement.

The new initiative can also boost the number of workers skilled in occupational safety and health (OSH) at the workplace.

The programme also stands to benefit employers as their staff would be certified and well versed in OSH.

This forms part of NIOSH’s efforts to empower the students of the future as well as to reduce the rate of accidents at the workplace.

Institutes interested in conducting the programmes can contact NIOSH for more details.

Source: https://www.nst.com.my