Tag Archives: vocational training

Volkswagen transforms vocational training to support its digital ambitions

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Volkswagen transforms vocational training to support its digital ambitions

By Soumik Roy on October 25, 2019

VOLKSWAGEN is a EUR235.8 billion (US$278 billion) automotive giant that has a finger on the pulse of the customer, the market, and its employees.

Accelerating into the digital-first era with connected and intelligent cars such as the latest edition of the Golf — a car that has been in production for more than four decades and has delighted more than 35 million customers — Volkswagen has a knack for reinventing itself.

The new Golf even boasts of “swarm intelligence”; In the world of automobiles, the capability is born when connected cars communicate with one another to avoid collision and share information.

To ensure that the company is able to produce and service such new-age vehicles in a sustainable fashion for the foreseeable future, Volkswagen has transformed its vocational training program.

“Today, the world of work, technologies and forms of cooperation are changing faster than ever before, said Volkswagen Board Member for Human Resources Gunnar Kilian.

“That is why we are aligning our vocational training with foresight, because we are convinced that specialists with first-rate qualifications are one of the foundations for technological top performance and sustainable commercial success in the digital age, too.”

The company’s stakeholders involved in its educational initiatives realized that vocational trainees and students on dual study programs are highly motivated and a positive asset for every technical department — and therefore, feel that the technical departments must give them even greater opportunities.

“In this age of digitalization, we must once and for all bring together vocational training, professional development and skills acquisition under one roof with a consistent approach,” commented another stakeholder.

In the press release announcing the improvement, Head of the Volkswagen Group Academy Ralph Linde revealed that new technologies and digital media play an important role in the company’s vocational training.

According to Linde, Volkswagen’s instructors serve as learning guides and use a variety of methods to support the needs of its vocational trainees.

“This is how we train skilled, committed, and team-oriented specialists and encourage them to engage in continuous learning.”

According to the company, trainees have an opportunity to not only learn about cutting-edge technologies that the automaker is using in its cars but also have an opportunity to use the company’s in-house platforms, augmented reality systems, and other training facilities that use iPads and QR codes.

Volkswagen has a massive workforce with thousands of workers across the globe. Upgrading its vocational and other training programs will definitely help it stay ahead of the competition as cars go digital and customers demand for new-age, digital-first services and solutions.

Source: www.techwireasia.com

Govt wants experts to coach trainers for vocational scheme

TVET & Vocational Training - Malaysian News,
Human Resources Minister M. Kulasegaran at a press conference in Ipoh October 6, 2018. — Picture by Marcus Pheong
Human Resources Minister M. Kulasegaran at a press conference in Ipoh October 6, 2018. — Picture by Marcus Pheong

IPOH, Oct 6 — The government is planning to recruit experts from India and Ukraine to train the trainers of the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme, said Human Resources Minister M. Kulasegaran.

Speaking to reporters at the Job Fair at Urban Transformation Centre (UTC) 5.0 here, Kulasegaran said many TVET institutions need to be upgraded, adding that government-to-government approaches would best address this.

“I will be heading to India tomorrow as Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad instructed me to visit and discuss with the TVET programme in India.

“India has some world experts on aviation, metro techniques, technical matters, artificial intelligence and a few more. We want to bring them here and train our trainers as a collaboration between the two countries,” he said.

Kulasegaran said that he was made to understand that over a million people benefited from India’s vocational training.

He will also visit next month due to the sophistication of their vocational programme.

“The importance of human development cannot be more emphasised than in Ukraine. Their education ministry is only at a regional level, while their TVET programme is at a national level and one of the best-run programmes in the whole world,” he said.

He said that this approach would reduce employers’ dependency on skilled foreign workers.

“When the trainers are equipped with knowledge and experience from experts, they can train the students well and it would allow the students to get accredited certificates.

“So companies do not have to depend on foreign workers and the students who complete the programme can earn a better wage,” he said.

Kulasegaran also urged employees to take up the courses in the TVET programme to upgrade their skills.

“The TVET programme is not only for school leavers. Workers are also eligible to join the programme. Most of the companies are willing to raise the wage provided that the workers have accredited certificates,” he said.

He also said that the ministry is willing to provide financial aid for the workers who wanted to join the TVET programme.

Source: www.malaymail.com

CHINA COMPANIES TRAIN MALAYSIAN TECHNICAL WORKERS

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Souvenir: President of MCCC, Tan Yew Sing (second from right) presents a souvenir that incorporates three major ethnic cultures in Malaysia to the Ambassador, H.E. Bai Tian (center).

Kuala Lumpur: The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to Malaysia, H.E. Bai Tian, disclosed that the China Construction Bank (Malaysia) Berhad recently purchased RM200million Malaysian Islamic Bond to support our new government.

The Ambassador said that the Chinese government places importance on the relations between Malaysia and China. When the new government tries to solve the debt problem, the purchase of government bonds is a support for Malaysia.

The Ambassador expressed the above remarks when he met the delegation led by the President of Malaysia-China Chamber of Commerce (MCCC), Tan Yew Sing last Friday. Tan briefed the Ambassador on the major activities and plans of MCCC. Both sides also exchanged views on the recent challenges and development trends of the economic and trade co-operation between Malaysia and China.

The Ambassador pointed out that the Chinese government has three prerequisites for Chinese-funded enterprises when they invest overseas: to abide by the relevant laws and regulations of Malaysia and China, comply with internationally accepted commercial guidelines and the contract, and adhere to the principle of equality, mutual benefit, and win-win co-operation.

The Ambassador said frankly that the Chinese government opposes any company’s improper behaviour. If the Malaysian government needs the assistance of the embassy, he will be happy to co-operate.

Bai stressed that the negative rumours brought by the recent 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) project to the Chinese companies were only one or two cases. The views of the parties concerned on the pragmatic cooperation between Malaysia and China should not be blinded.

Speaking about the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) Project, Tan said that it is understandable the new government needs to review the rationality of this project. However, this does not mean that Malaysia is against China. The governments of both sides should negotiate it at the “nation-to-nation” level based on long-standing friendly relations. In order to achieve a win-win situation, it is indeed necessary to review the project pricing, construction time, project scale and even the construction methods.

The Ambassador pointed out that there are more than 100 state-owned and private enterprises that are currently investing or operating in Malaysia. These Chinese enterprises hire more than 70% employees on average, and the ratio of local employees in many companies is as high as 80% or even 90%. All of these are to achieve better technology transfer in the co-operation between the two countries and lay a solid foundation for Malaysia’s industrial upgrading. There are also some Chinese-funded enterprises that have sent local Malay employees to Chinese corporate headquarters or higher education institutions or vocational colleges for vocational training. In order to cater to the needs of Malay technical workers attending the training in China, the Chinese companies provided them with facilities such as a halal cafeteria and prayer room.

Tan stressed that in order to promote the skills of our country’s manpower and link with China’s advanced industries as soon as possible, it is necessary for Malaysia and China to start from the vocational education co-operation in order to cultivate a new generation of high-quality skilled workers who are familiar with the economic conditions and technologies of the two countries. Malaysia, which is booming, is in great need of China’s technology, R&D resources and capital assistance. Both sides urge the Chinese companies to continue to invest in Malaysia and co-operate with the local business community for a win-win situation.

The Ambassador pointed out that the data of a large number of local employees hired by the Chinese enterprises will eventually scotch the rumours about china threat.

Bai added that certain areas required the employees from China because of the lack of local employees with relevant skills. It is hard to find local technical staff at this stage for specific types of Chinese-funded jobs. For example, TRX Exchange 106 has a full floor completed in every three days. At the top of the building, they are doing two-day cycles on the concrete floor slabs. In addition to proper planning, these achievements and engineering efficiencies must be backed up by skilled technical work.

At present, in line with the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China has launched 13 international scholarships. There are more than 20 provincial and municipal government scholarships and 20,000 Belt and Road scholarship for overseas students including Malaysia to cultivate China’s soft power. Their target is to have 500,000 international students in 2020. According to statistics, there are more than 8,000 Malaysian students studying in China and more than 15,000 Chinese students studying in Malaysia.

The Ambassador places great importance on the economic and trade relations between Malaysia and China. He elucidates the economic and industrial contribution of Chinese enterprises to Malaysia.

“Like China’s first-tier manufacturing companies, Jinko Solar and JA Solar Holdings, assisted Malaysia to become an important international producer of solar energy. The CRRC Corporation Limited (CRRC) has a manufacturing plant in Batu Gajah and this has also made Malaysia the most advanced rail transit vehicle manufacturer in ASEAN,” Bai explained.

Recalling that in 2017, the bilateral trade volume between Malaysia and China reached USD96billion, and China has become Malaysia’s largest trading partner for nine consecutive years.

“Last year, the trade volume has not yet recovered to more than USD100billion but the first quarter of this year has an increase of 15.6%. We have begun to see a good momentum of growth. We are confident that this year’s bilateral trade volume will exceed USD100billion,” Bai said.

Last year, the volume of export from Malaysia to China amounted to USD54billion, accounting for one fourth of Malaysia’s total USD200billion in export. Last year, China was also the largest source of foreign direct investment in Malaysian manufacturing sector.

Ambassador Bai: Fresh Durian to be exported to China

The Ambassador revealed that he had recently met the new Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry, YB Salahuddin Ayub. They talked about exporting fresh durian to China (currently only export frozen flesh).

“After I took office, I started to promote the export of Malaysia durian to China. There have been major positive developments in this work recently. I believe there will be good news soon,” Bai believed.

Earlier, Thailand’s Golden Pillow Durian was sold on the Tmall’s “Taste of Thailand” page. It sold more than 80,000 orders in the first minute, causing a stir. The Ambassador felt that the durians from Malaysia were more delicious, especially the Musang King Durian. They are very popular in the Chinese market and there will be a bigger market in the future.

Finally, the Ambassador Bai highly affirmed the significant contribution made by the MCCC in promoting the friendship, economic and trade relations between the two countries, and in particular the annual event of MCCC—Malaysia-China Entrepreneur Conference (MCEC). The Ambassador also praised MCCC for publishing the “Malaysia-China Trade and Investment Guide 2017”, organising the “Invest in China” and “Invest in Malaysia” workshops and bringing local entrepreneurs to China to participate in large-scale expos.

The other leaders of the MCCC who participated in this visit were the First Vice President, Loo Kok Seong, Vice President, Kerk Loong Sing, and Secretary-General, Kevin Siah.

Source: https://www.mccc.my/

Malaysia has what it takes to attract MNC investments: GE Malaysia CEO

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SUNPIX/ADIB RAWI

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has all the key ingredients to attract multinational companies (MNCs) to invest here but more could be done in terms of providing skilled labour, said General Electric (GE) Malaysia CEO Datuk Mark Rozario (pix).

“Talent, particularly new graduates, that’s probably one area that could improve but that’s not unique to Malaysia. If you think about university education, what’s lacking are things like critical thinking. The kind of skills that are required by industries are normally never fulfilled by just doing a university course.

“But the government is doing a lot in that area as well, they’ve got things like TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training), vocational training, internships; so continue doing that. The other thing that probably needs to be done is for the country to move away from the reliance of cheap labour, which the government is also doing,” he told SunBiz in an interview.

Rozario was one of the speakers at the recent 2018 APCAC Business Summit, which was hosted by the American Malaysian Chamber of Commerce. Themed “Charting a Bold Future: US Businesses in the Asian Century”, the event shed light on US investments in Malaysia and the region.

For GE, which has been here since 1975, the environment in Malaysia is very conducive and all its key businesses, namely, aviation, power, oil and gas and healthcare, are present here today.

“We have invested in things like iCentre (monitoring and diagnostics centre) that we described just now, which is the only one in Asia Pacific for GE; one for the oil and gas industry and the other for power. The one for oil and gas is a global centre and is one of three centres, with the other two in Florence, Italy, and Houston, US. The centres operate in eight-hour shifts,” said Rozario.

He said the reason iCentre is sited in Malaysia is because of the infrastructure that is available here, such as broadband with good coverage and skilled labour, while cost of talent is competitive compared with the rest of the region.

“When you talk about Industry 4.0, one of the first jobs that would go are those semi-skilled jobs. Here in GE, we don’t have any requirement for unskilled labour. All our employees here have to be quite highly skilled.”

According to him, GE’s aircraft engine workshop in Subang employs 300 staff, all of whom are Malaysians. He said the facility, which is a global business servicing more than 40 airlines, used to have expatriate staff but with the transfer of technology and skills over the years, it now has 100% Malaysian staff.

The facility overhauls jet engines and is the only facility outside the US with the capability for GE’s latest LEAP jet engines, which is for the Airbus A320neo and the Boeing 737 MAX.

“Again, why is it sited here? Because we have the infrastructure, the logistics ability for the engines to be sent here by cargo. The engines are taken off the aircraft and flown over to the workshop. We have the logistics, we have the availability of talent. I think the environment here is very conducive for multinationals to have their operations here,” he added.

GE’s main businesses in Malaysia are aviation, power, oil and gas, and healthcare.

Source: http://www.thesundaily.my

Thai & Malaysia students to gain from Taiwan’s policy

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More scholarships offered to academic staff and students from the region.

TAIWAN’S NEW “Southbound” policy will mean more educational opportunities for people from all Asean countries, including Thailand.

“In line with the policy, our government will offer more scholarships for academic staff and students from Southeast Asian nations to boost the development of the region’s human resource,” said Taiwanese Education Minister Pan Wen-chung.

Fifteen scholarships are being granted via the Thai Ministry of Education, which is also covering Bt20,000 personal expenses per month for Masters Degree students and Bt15,000 for undergraduate students besides a Bt40,000 contribution towards the tuition fees.

“We want to help Thai lecturers, most of whom have Masters Degrees to study for their PhD in Taiwan via this scholarship scheme,” said Pan. “We are also creating a platform for Thai and Taiwanese universities to work together and we are also organising human resources training.”

Taiwan would expand its foreign student quota, particularly for those from Asean countries, in the academic year 2018, he added.

In 2016, Taiwan granted 193 scholarships for undergraduates from Asean countries. while also giving a further 984 language learning scholarships and 100 scholarships for lecturers from these countries.

In that same period, Taiwan had 12,000 students from Malaysia, 5,000 students from Indonesia, 4,700 students from Vietnam and 1,700 students from Thailand. The ministry expected the number of Asean students to rise in future.

Besides scholarships, Taiwan also offered human resources training for Asean countries on various subjects, including academic, industry, vocational promotion or executives’ business administration, Pan said. “What Taiwan wants is to pass on its experience and knowledge to Asean countries,” Pan said, adding that Taiwan was looking at hiking Taiwan-Asean investments in education to a value of Bt1 billion.

President Tsai Ing-wen administration’s “new southbound policy”, which came from a proposal by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), was clear that a priority should be to strengthen ties with Southeast Asian nations and India, as well as Australia and New Zealand.

As some critics feared this policy might not last long if Taiwan’s opposition Nationalist Party, also known as Kuomintang, won power, Pan affirmed the policy would remain as it concerned education. This policy was also useful to Taiwan, he said citing the increase in the number of visitors from Southeast Asia to Taiwan, which is safe and friendly to visitors.

Taiwan’s capital Taipei is home to 100,000 foreign partners and children of Taiwanese nationals. The biggest immigrant group is Vietnamese, followed by Indonesian, Myanmar and Thai.

To help educate them in their original languages the ministry would add Asean language courses in primary schools, Pan said.

Starting in 2019, every primary school in Taiwan will include seven Asean languages as elective subjects: Thai, Vietnamese, Malaysian, Burman, Indonesian, Cambodian and Filipino.

Besides the private businesses in Taiwan those in the wooden furniture industry also want to invite Asean people for training in furniture design and related technology.

“Many Taiwanese have invested in Southeast Asia. We have capital and technology but we don’t have the raw materials. So we are ready and willing to train new people if the government can promote this as an educational scheme under the new southbound policy,” said Mauson Industrial Co’s general manager Hsu Michael.

Jason Huang, director of the Taiwan Woodworking Machinery Association in Taichung City, said businesspeople were ready to train Asean people as many had already invested in the region.

The association has supported an industrial-academic cooperation training programme in furniture and carpentry at National Taipei University of Technology and next year, 40 Vietnamese students will undergo one-year vocational training course there.

At National Formosa University, a well-known technical institute in Huwei District, Yunlin County, study programmes in engineering and technology are popular among students from Southeast Asia.

Most of the foreign students were Chinese Malaysians who were studying undergraduate programmes as the university .

One lecturer, Assistant Professor Arnold Wang, said 18 Malaysian students were studying a programme comprising eight months of teaching classes and four months of internship.

Two of these students would be awarded full tuition coverage based on highest grade averages.

The university also wants to introduce courses at Malaysian institutes with a high population of Chinese Malaysian students, such as Taylor’s University Subang Jaya in the Malaysian State of Selangor.

A Malaysian student identified only as Daniel said he chose to study at Formosa due to its prestigious mechanical engineering courses and the opportunity of internship at a real workplace. He said being taught in the Chinese language posed no difficulty to him and although it was more expensive than studying in Malaysia, Daniel said it was worth it.

Another student, Chan Kwan Chen from the Malaysian State of Kedah, agreed, saying that studying in Taiwan offered new opportunities and experiences compared with studying in his home country.

Having some relatives in Thailand, the young man said he knew too little about Thai institutes and hoped to learn more.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com

Go for hybrid education system, suggests Razak Baginda

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August 22, 2017
He says there should be 50% vocational and 50% academic training, including at university level.
razak-bagind-1

PETALING JAYA: Centre for Global Affairs Malaysia (Icon) president Abdul Razak Baginda has suggested that Malaysia implement a hybrid system of education which combines vocational and academic training.

He was commenting on the country’s high number of unemployed graduates.

Recently, Bernama reported that 54,103 graduates were unemployed last year even after six months of completing their studies.

Higher Education Minister Idris Jusoh said the number was based on the Graduands Detection Survey System (SKPG), which recorded 238,187 students at institutions of higher learning had completed their studies last year.

Speaking to FMT, Razak said part of the problem was that the education system in the country was too streamlined.

“Not everyone is going to be a rocket scientist or a brain surgeon.

“So there’s no need for so much emphasis on academic training while completely ignoring vocational training,” he said.

“On the other hand, we do have vocational schools but we don’t have vocational schools at a higher level.

“That means that if you go to a vocational school, then you are doomed to be a mechanic from a certain level for the rest of your life. There are very few avenues for you to go above that.”

He noted that universities offered internship programmes but said this wasn’t enough.

He said a hybrid system was being practised in some advanced countries such as Germany, but civil servants in Malaysia weren’t creative enough to think of such a solution.

“We should be more creative and think of a hybrid system which is 50% vocational training and 50% academic training,” he said.

“Some people say that when you graduate from a university, you know how bicycles are made but you don’t know how to ride a bicycle. So what’s the point?

“The idea of a hybrid system is you can ride a bicycle and you know how it works, and at the same time you know how to repair it.”

Pakatan Youth pledges a million jobs and affordable homes

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Pakatan Youth pledges a million jobs and affordable homes
Amanah Youth deputy chief Faiz Fadzil says Pakatan Harapan Youth will create a million semi-skilled and skilled jobs, and a million affordable houses when it takes over the federal government. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Zainal Abd Halim, July 25, 2017.
PAKATAN Harapan (PH) Youth will make job opportunities and affordable housing a priority in its manifesto for the upcoming 14th general election.

These include creating a million semi-skilled and skilled jobs, and a million affordable houses if the opposition coalition takes over Putrajaya.

Amanah Youth deputy chief Faiz Fadzil said jobs can be created in the 3D (dirty, difficult, dangerous) sector merely by raising the minimum wage from RM1,000 to RM1,500.

Faiz also dismissed Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s assertion that youths are uninterested in 3D jobs, which caused employers to hire foreign labour to fill such positions.

“We will create skilled and semi-skilled jobs for graduates who qualify.

“We will also raise labour wages so interested locals will take up 3D jobs. Zahid said Malaysians were not interested in 3D jobs. I think that statement is unfounded,” he told a press conference at Amanah headquarters in Kuala Lumpur today.

He said the RM500 raise would be jointly funded by the government and employers using a fair cost-sharing mechanism, and the plan would be implemented within the first five years of a PH administration.

PH Youth also aimed to provide a million affordable homes by 2020 and to establish a body to be in charge of providing affordable homes.

A “housing x-change” mechanism would also be set up to ensure that affordable homes go only to those who need it to curb property speculation, which includes setting a national ceiling price for affordable homes at between RM250,000 and RM300,000, depending on location.

PKR Youth chief Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad pointed out that foreign labour issues have yet to be resolved despite several legalisation measures simply because Malaysia followed a low-pay economic model.

Nik Nazmi, who is Selangor executive councillor for education, human capital, science, technology and innovation, said this model is used by many countries, but the minimum wage here has not been increased.

“We’re addicted (to the economic model). So when the people cannot live with the low pay, we hire foreign workers,” Nik Nazmi said.

Using the PKR-led Selangor government as an example, he said PH Youth would focus on providing vocational training as an alternative and would not rely on the low-pay economic model which encouraged hiring foreign labour. – July 25, 2017.

National Service to teach technical and vocational skills

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New-look for National Service programme from 2016 onwards to include private sector involvement.

Hishammuddin_khidmat-negara_600PUTRAJAYA: Technical and vocational skills are to be taught to trainees in the National Service programme to prepare them for the job market, says defence minister Hishammuddin Hussein.

The new skills will add value to current modules on patriotism and unity and involve the private sector, he said.

Cabinet approval was sought last week, he said, for the new programme to be included in the 11th Malaysia Plan.

Hishammuddin said the involvement of the private sector would mean that the certificates given out would have more value, and the private sector would not simply reject job applications from former National Service trainees.

He expressed confidence that the new National Service session could begin early next year, after feedback on the new plans had been obtained from all concerned parties next week.

The prime minister, Najib Razak, had announced in his Budget speech in October that the National Service programme would be reviewed and new skills introduced. In January he also announced that this year’s programme would be postponed, to save RM400 million in costs, and allow a review.

More than 800,000 youths have undergone National Service training since it was introduced in 2004.

– BERNAMA