Category Archives: TVET & Vocational Training – Malaysian News

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

In race to hone talent, Penang to copy German vocational schools

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Lim Guan Eng seen in this July 16, 2014 file picture. ― Picture by Choo Choy May Lim Guan Eng seen in this July 16, 2014 file picture. ― Picture by Choo Choy

MayKUALA LUMPUR, Jan 24 — The German model of vocational training will soon become an integral part of human resource development in Penang, as the Pakatan Rakyat-led state launched today a multi-pronged approach to bolster what it claims to be flagging standards in the national education system.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the state will be the first to adopt the German vocational school system, to help develop “high-performing education systems” that build both theoretical and practical skills.

“We must provide our youths with opportunities and supply them with platforms to demonstrate their talents and strengths,” he said of the system, which will be run within multi-national corporations operating out of Penang.

“It is only when we are bold enough to invest in education can we truly win the challenging future,” he added when launching the Engagement Science Technology Engineering English and Mathematics (ESTEEM) Teaching at the Karpal Singh Penang Learning Centre.

Apart from the new vocational system, Lim said his administration will also extend annual funding to all existing half-funded vernacular and religious schools, and build learning centres focused on teaching science, technology, English and mathematics.

Lim stressed that Malaysian students lag three years behind their peers in South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore based on the 2012 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) ranking, which rates the command of science, mathematics and reading among 15-year-olds.

He acknowledged that the Barisan Nasional federal governnment allocated some 20 per cent or RM56 billion of Budget 2015 for education, but claimed that the money will be spent “to satisfy the needs of bureaucrats” instead of improving on students’ learning.

“In fact, Malaysia spends less than Thailand in terms of education for students in their first 10 years of their education, from six years to 15 years old.

“Unless there is a paradigm shift towards investment in education, accompanied by high aspirations as a nation to build on human capital, we cannot be a high-income, developed economy,” he said, in a tacit reference to Putrajaya’s goal of achieving developed nation status by 2020.

Source: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/in-race-to-hone-talent-penang-to-copy-german-vocational-schools#sthash.vtD1cn0s.dpuf

Pay vocational graduates proportionately: Khairy

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Khairy defends Lim's RM175k salary | Daily Express Online - Sabah's Leading News Portal

Vocational and skills training institutes’ graduates shoud be paid salaries which commensurate with the qualification and skills they possess, said Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

According to him, the salaries offered so far were not up to expectations, despite the high amount spent by the government in improving the quality of education of vocational and skill training institutes’  graduates.

“Several countries with high technical competency such as Germany, Japan and South Korea have raised the standard of training skills that people in these countries have such high regards for those in these fields,” he said.

He was speaking to reporters after delivering a talk titled ‘Malaysia’s Human Capital Towards High Income Economy’ at the University of Technology Malaysia’s (UTM) Kuala Lumpur campus, here Thursday.

Khairy said, the public, especially parents too needed to change their perception that only students who do not excel academically go through vocational education and skill trainings.

“Most parents want their children to be doctors, engineers, lawyers without seeing the potential of their children in the technical field, a field which is just as important for the economic development of the country,” he said.

Khairy said, graduates of vocational and skill training institutes also have high employability value.

He cited the National Youth Training Institute (IKBN) as having graduate employability level of up to 83 percent and efforts were being made to increase it to 90 percent by 2016.

“IKBN work alongside with several big companies such as Petronas, Samsung and Tan Chong Motors and Automotive Institute of Malaysia to ensure courses available suit industries’ needs and these companies provide training for students,” he said.

Source: http://www.dailyexpress.com.my (5th December 2014)

PSMB CEO removed for speaking out against contract scandal

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HRDF takes all allegations seriously, pledges to cooperate with ministryKUALA LUMPUR: The multi-million ringgit skills certification scandal at the Human Resources Development Corporation (PSMB) was marked by an intriguing power play that led to the removal of its chief executive officer.

Ali Badaruddin Abdul Kadir lost his job as the CEO early last month because he disagreed with the award of a lucrative contract to Bena College, which has no track record in running the “Recognition of Prior Learning” (RPL) programme. He was appointed as CEO in August 2013 on a two-year contract.

Sources said the scandal involved a high-level personnel shake-up with trails leading to the office of Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Richard Riot Jaem.

Before he left, Ali Badaruddin held a meeting with his staff, running down PSMB’s decision to award the contract to Bena.

Ali Badaruddin’s removal upset some staff who then tipped off the media about the wrongdoings.

The CEO’s removal came on the heels of secretary-general Datuk Seri Zainal Rahim Seman’s swift transfer out of the ministry early this year, together with a number of other high-ranking officers.

They are said to be “non-compliant” with directives from “certain powerful people” in the ministry.

To complicate matters, a new CEO, said to be nominated by the minister’s office, had been prevented from taking office as his appointment did not adhere to bureaucratic procedures.

PSMB, an agency under the Human Resources Ministry, administers the Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF), which manages about RM1 billion in mandatory employer contributions for human capital development.

Recently, the government announced a RM400 million allocation for upskilling and reskilling programmes which cover the RPL and Malaysian Skills Certificate (MSC) programmes, among others.

Many workers in Malaysia acquired work skills on the job or through apprenticeships but have no documents to back them up. In fact, one of the ministry’s key performance indicators (KPI) is to get 700,000 unskilled workers “certified” by 2015.

It was claimed that the ministry had approved accreditation based on a separate module from the one traditionally recognised by the Department of Skills Development (DSD).

A major bone of contention was that Bena had been awarded the contract to assess so-called “skilled” workers based on standards that were much lower than DSD’s.

A 45-page report detailing the alleged wrongdoings had been sent to the higher-ups, including the Prime Minister’s Office, the sources said.

Among other things, the report questioned why no tender was called for the project despite the huge amount involved.

Potentially, there’s a lot of money to be made from training assessors capable of assessing employees. This is why Bena wanted to be part of the RPL scheme.

Formerly known as Bantin College, Bena is founded by Thomas Leong, who runs the Bengkel Niaga Ala Cina, an entrepreneur-training outfit which teaches Malay students how to “do business like the Chinese masters”.

Bena had recently advertised in a leading newspaper that it was recruiting assessors who had to pay RM400 to attend a one-day workshop on how to do RPL assessment.

The Heat reported that a training company representative who attended the workshop said it only lasted a couple of hours, and the assessment was too simplistic.

Bena had apparently impressed the ministry with its collaboration with a body called the Great Britain Consortium of Colleges (GBCC), which comprises four UK government colleges. GBCC would issue certificates for those assessed as “skilled” in their field.

Under the RPL by Bena, PSMB pays the assessor RM300 for each person who has been certified as “skilled” and an undisclosed amount to GBCC for issuing the certification, the sources said.

“If an assessor can find 100 people to be certified each month, he would make RM30,000 every month. In a year, that’s RM360,000. If you have 100 assessors, PSMB would need to fork out RM360 million a year. On top of that, HRDF still needs to pay GBCC for each certified worker,” a source said.

It is understood an undisclosed sum would also be paid to Bena, although it is unclear whether from PSMB or from GBCC.

See more at: http://theantdaily.com/

Comment: I was one of those who attended the seminar for Assessor (last day), which was advertised as one whole day but ended quite early. Was very suspicious & reluctant (to attend) initially but was told by my friend who went on the 1st day where he says that the HR Minister came to officiate it & the DG of Department of Skill Development (DSD) was there too (probably due to a directive by the Minister)!  

It sounded fishy from the start, with a project of such huge magnitude being awarded to a company where it’s bank account name is called Bengkel Niaga Ala Cina. When I emailed to submit my resume for their so called assessment (by British counterpart) before approval to attend the Assessor seminar, I got a shocked that they replied YES to me in less than 10 minutes. Was thinking, did they really went through my profile or just accepted anyone who applied (because they would be getting RM400 per applicant/attendee for a day’s seminar – hey, they’re making much better $$ compared to my 2 days organising of induction course with the DSD – only can charge RM350/pax for 2 days of hardwork & limited to 60 vs their capacity of few hundreds per session!) So they claimed to have close to 1,000 participants over the week (5 days). Ahem, that’s a collection of about RM400,000 (perhaps after deducting operational cost, including so many Gwei Lo’s flight & accomodation at Hilton Hotel), think the organiser still made at least over hundred thousands (not sure who else he needs to pay…)
Conclusion: The concept looks great but the way it’s being planned to be implemented, it just doesn’t look professional and to be more crude, it looks more like a scam job! 

Malaysian lad shines at World Skills Competition

TVET & Vocational Training - Malaysian News,

Kim Leun Shines With An Edge In Germany | Taylor's University

Chen showing his medallion of excellence and ‘Best of the nation’ medallion which he won in Germany.
Image credit: Taylors University

SEPANG: Chen Kim Leun’s mother is known for cooking simple food. The Negri Sembilan-born lad, on the other hand, is now known for creating complex dishes that can stand head-to-head with the world’s best.

At 22, Chen is ready to show the world what an outstanding cook he is, and he did so marvellously by clinching a medallion of excellence at the recently concluded 42nd World Skills Competition (WSC) held in Leipzig, Germany.

Open to those who are not older than 22, the World Skills Competition is dubbed as the “Olympics” for skilled youth and it provides a biennial platform for highlighting the very best in vocational training.

Every two years, hundreds of young skilled people from all over the world, accompanied by their teachers and trainers, gather together to evaluate themselves against international benchmarks for 46 categories of skilled trades.

A recent graduate in culinary arts from Taylor’s University, Chen did not expect he would go that far, even though he kept his composure while whipping up two appetisers, four main courses and two desserts.

“I never imagined any medals because the competition was stiff and the weather was challenging for me (a rather chilly summer). We were also required to present Western cuisine, which was an advantage for European contestants, but I did not give up,” said Chen, who hails from Bahau.

In the end, although eight other Malaysians also obtained medallions in their respective fields, Chen, who was awarded champion in culinary art at the 2012 Malaysia Skills Competition as well as gold at the Asean Skills Competition, walked away with the highest overall score compared to his fellow Malaysians.

Human Resources Minister Datuk Richard Riot, who welcomed the contingent home at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport yesterday, was beaming with pride.

“This is the 10th time that Malaysia has participated in the WSC and gaining the medallion for excellence has been our best achievement in various categories so far. I believe in the dedication of our skilled youths and I am confident that we can bring back at least one bronze medal at the next WSC, which will be held in Sao Paulo, Brazil.”

Meanwhile, Chen himself is already aiming high.

“In five years’ time, I wish to see myself performing better at more competitions and hopefully, to run my own fine dining restaurant,” he said.

Source: Star Online – 10th July

Only 28 Per Cent Of 12 Million Work Force In Malaysia Are Highly Skilled

TVET & Vocational Training - Malaysian News

KUALA LUMPUR, June 17 (Bernama) — Only 28 per cent of the 12 million work force in Malaysia are highly skilled, said Deputy Human Resource Minister Datuk Ismail Abdul Mutalib.

As such, he said the Human Resource Ministry would cooperate actively with the Education Ministry and the private sector to achieve the target of 50 per cent of the work force comprising highly skilled workers by the year 2020.

“Registration for vocational courses would be increased from time to time to reach 300,000 places compared with only about 130,000 places currently,” he told reporters after officiating the 2nd International Skills Conference 2013, here Monday.

Ismail said strategic cooperation with the private sector was also important in efforts to transfer technology and expertise from abroad to churn out skilled work force among the locals.

“We will increase forums at the international level such as the one today where the local delegates who were present had vast opportunities to exchange ideas with the developed nations such as Australia and the United Kingdom,” he said.

The two-day conference, themed ‘Tranforming the Skills Workforce: Realising Opportunities and Challenges’, was organised by The National Association of Private Educational Institutions (NAPEI) in collaboration with The Victoria State Government, Australia.

Earlier Ismail and State of Victoria’s Minister for Innovation, Services and Small Business, Louise Asher witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Malaysia institutions of higher learning and Australia’s State of Victoria’s Vocational and Education Training (VET) providers.

The strategic partnerships were signed between National Association of Private Educational Institutions (NAPEI) president, Professor Elajsolan Mohan and Senior Advisor of Northern Melbourne Institute TAFE (NMIT), Mal Rowe for train-the-trainer programme in Malaysia and the signing between Universiti Tun Hussein Onn and NMIT were represented by its Vice Chancellor Professor Datuk Mohd Noh Dalimin and Rowe for skills training, research and development collaboration.

Manufacturing engineering training courses between Tech Terrain College and NMIT were represented by its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Raja Ratnam and Rowe while GippsTAFE and Beyond Petroleum were represented by both CEOs, Peter Whitley and Nurazida Daud respectively.

The MoU aimed to strengthen Malaysia’s VET education while enhancing higher education courses through collaborations with education service providers from Victoria.

Victorian VET institutions had delivered training solutions in the South East Asia region for animal husbandry, tourism and hospitality, food and safety preparation, building and construction and more.

Source: BERNAMA, 17th June 2013

Vocational education, an attractive option

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Way to go: Muhyiddin trying out a solar-powered car created by students from Kolej Vokasional Arau in Perlis as student Azruk Abdul Rahim, 17, looks on. – Bernama

VOCATIONAL and technical education has proven to be increasingly popular among students as it saves time and money.

Those who opt to enter a vocational college after sitting for the Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) will receive their diplomas after just four years of studies, as opposed to the common pathway which is to sit for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM).

Students pursuing vocational and technical education which is based on the Sijil Kemahiran Malaysia curriculum will be exposed to practical components to strenghtened their knowledge and skills that will enhance their career prospects.

Just ask vocational student, S. Lakxessnah, 16, who said taking up the vocational school pathway was a wise decision.

The database management system student saw it as a “fast-track” to acquire tertiary qualifications.

“Instead of taking the conventional pathway (which is to sit for SPM), I will get my diploma when I am 19. It is not for weak students but for people like me who already have a clear idea on what we want to do with our future,” said the Kolej Vokasional Perdagangan Johor Baru student.

Lakxessnah was one of the students who attended the 1Malaysia Kolej Vokasional carnival in Klang recently.

The Kolej Vokasional Perdagangan Johor Baru student, came to the career carnival with her schoolmates and teachers.

The objective of the four-day carnival was to highlight the various courses available as well as the career alternatives for vocational and technical school leavers.

It is also to disseminate information of the Government’s initiatives to transform the vocational and technical education.

The Government has vowed to transform the technical education and vocational training (TEVT) sector in a move to make TEVT more appealing to students.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said there was a need to produce at least 3.3 million skilled workers in the next 10 years in order to meet the demands of the country’s economic developments.

Muhyiddin, who is also Education Minister, said the average enrolment of upper secondary students in technical and vocational courses in Malaysia was about 10%, compared to the average 44% enrolment of students from the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries.

In Germany, Finland and Austria, for example, 50% to 80% students pursued vocational education at upper secondary level or through apprenticeship.

“We received 117,000 applications to enter vocational colleges while we can acommodate up to 21,000 students. This is very encouraging and we should provide more places for those interested,” he said.

Student Nurul Ain Fatihah Mohd Hisam, 16, said society should regard vocational education as a desirable study option.

She said vocational and technical schools were a great place to discover talents.

“The Government is actively promoting such education because it is a good way to identify and groom young people who can in turn help contribute to the economy of our country,” she said.

Kolej Vokasional Klang student T. Peravin said it was time for the public to change their perception about vocational education.

“For those who think vocational and technical education is just for weak students, they should come to our college and see for themselves.

“The institution offers comprehensive education because there are both theoretical and practical components,” he added.

Source: The Star Online – 21st April 2013

COMMENT: This is a very good initiative by the current government but I hope the corrupted practice during procurement of equipments/materials by these government owned colleges/institutions can be minimised (I don’t believe it can be totally eradicated in a short span of time) by hopefully a BERSIH government!Related: where is rob mason from kvet now, derelict property for sale anglesey, 5 qualities of a good poster, purpose of life in islam in urdu, bungalows for sale whitchurch, bristol, 2022 preqin global private equity venture capital report, mike matarazzo obituary, alonzo smith, foreman, black mason building claflin prints, paul snider patti laurman, how does gmp affect my state pension, tropical desert gpp, polk county parade of homes 2022, daldowie crematorium funerals today, doit helpdesk illinois gov, cherubs tomatoes seeds,

Govt to continue providing technical, vocational training for teenagers

TVET & Vocational Training - Malaysian News
 
Source: NST Online – 18th March 2013
 

Comment: If you have the budget, you may also choose to study TVET courses at private institutions, which are often located at more strategic locations.

You may also find that some of the courses that you are interested in are not available at govt institutions.

And if Malay language is a barrier, there are some private institutions (such as this auto academy in Muar) that offers them in Mandarin and/or English.

TVET for teenagers

Malaysia’s Participation In ASC Proves Its World-Class Vocational Skills

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

By Sakini Mohd Said


Director-General of Skills Development Department of the Ministry of Human Resource, Dr Pang Chau Leong.

PUTRAJAYA, Nov 16 (Bernama) — Many people have the perception that industry skills are only for people who lack academic knowledge. They believe that this sector is ideal for manual labourers, including immigrant workers.

This is the mentality of the public and parents view vocational subjects as being inferior, compared to academic subjects. This is because they believe academic subjects promise white-collar employment, unlike vocational subjects which can only offer blue-collar positions.

Are skills-based courses that bad that they are only suitable for those who are not academically inclined?

The fact remains that in order to achieve the status of a developed nation by 2020, Malaysia needs knowledgeable people in skills-based industries.

Malaysia is participating in the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Skills Competition (ASC) 2012 from Nov 15 to 18 in Jakarta, Indonesia.

PERCEPTION

“Those who fail to gain admission into universities are seen as failures. This thinking is wrong, as those in universities may not necessarily be successful in life.

“But those who cannot get into universities can still be successful in vocational fields,” said the Director-General of Skills Development Department of the Ministry of Human Resource, Dr Pang Chau Leong.

He said that parents should not regard industry skills as ‘second class’ and that it is only meant for failures.

Skills’ training is crucial for transforming Malaysia into a developed and a high-income country, he explained.

This is in line with the objective of increasing the per capita Gross National Income to RM48,000 by 2020, as compared to RM23,700 in 2009.

“It is not easy to change the people’s perception and that is why we are participating in the ASC to prove that Malaysians have skills of international standards.

“This way, parents will be more confident and will not see vocational courses as something for failures,” Dr Pang said.

PARADIGM SHIFT

Dr Pang said that only 28-29 percent of the Malaysians have a positive image of skilled manpower, which is lower than that of developed nations.

However, the number of jobs offered to skilled manpower through the National Key Economy Area (NKEA) and Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) is high.

Out of 3.3 million jobs created through the NKEA and ETP, 1.3 million jobs go to skilled manpower, which shows that people with vocational skills do have job opportunities.

Participation in ASC is a way of promoting this sector to the society, to be on par with the academic field.

“The nation’s participation is in line with the needs of the Tenth Malaysia Plan (RMK-10), where the government requires 33 per cent skilled workforce by 2015 and 50 per cent by 2020,” he said.

The ASC is being held at the Jakarta Convention Centre this year. It is a skills-based competition, which takes place once every two years. Every ASEAN country takes turn in being the host.

ONLY THE BEST ARE SELECTED

Introduced in 1995, the competition had been staged eight times, where Malaysia hosted the seventh edition in 2008.

This time, the nation is taking part in 22 fields and is targeting five gold medals, four silver medals and six bronze medals. Malaysia is represented by 44 students from public/private universities, as well as public and private skills training institutions.

Dr Pang said that those selected for the competition have been medal winners at the Malaysia Skills competition for three years, since 2010.

The candidates were also picked through IPTA/IPTS screening and the ‘Culinary Award Nestle’ competition.

“This is to ensure that participants win medals for Malaysia,” he said.

He said that cash incentives for winners at the ASC 2012 have been increased, in line with the government’s efforts to make vocational skills, the key driver of the nation’s economy.

Every gold medal winner will receive RM7,000, every silver medal winner will receive RM5,000 and every bronze medal winner will receive RM2,500. The best overall winner will get another RM1,000.

EQUIPPING YOUTHS WITH SKILLS TO BE WORLD-CLASS WORKERS

Dr Pang said that the nation’s participation in the ASC is not just limited to changing the public’s mentality with regards to the vocational sector. It is also about enhancing relations among developing nations, in equipping Malaysian youths with the relevant skills to become world-class workers.

“This competition is a way of showing recognition to youths, students and workers, who have skills in technical and vocational fields.

“We want to prove to the world that Malaysia has world-class skilled manpower,” said Dr Pang, adding that Malaysia’s participation in the ASC is key to promoting the country’s skilled manpower to international investors.”

Malaysia will also participate in the World Skills Competition 2013 in Leipzig, Germany, for seven days, from July 1, 2013.

Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, had unveiled the ‘Road To Leipzig Gold 2013’ project last July.

Source: BERNAMA

Vocational training option for students after PMR

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

KAJANG: Secondary school students in selected institutions can sign up for the National Dual Training System (NDTS or SLDN in Malay) after PMR (Penilaian Menengah Rendah).“The enrolment of students in the programme is expected to reach 15,000 by next year,” said Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassinat SM Vokasional Kajang yesterday.Previously, secondary school students who were interested in vocational training would have to wait until after their Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM).Muhyiddin added that the programme comprised a 70% practical component with host companies and 30% training at the educational institutions.

Currently, it is only available at three vocational institutions located here, in Sungai Buloh and Batu Pahat.

The programme will be extended to all 79 vocational colleges in stages by next year.

The SLDN, which is a collaborative programme with the Human Resources Ministry, will see courses offered in up to 53 fields.

“I believe SLDN will become a preferred choice in the future, with more multinational companies and industries taking part,” said Muhyiddin after the launch of the programme and the signing of a cooperation agreement with the Human Resources Ministry.

Muhyiddin, who is also Education Minister, said the initiative was in line with the 10th Malaysia Plan and was crucial if the country were to produce highly-skilled workers.

Source: The Star Online: 3rd October 2012