TVET July intake expected to hit 150,000 applications, says Zahid

New Straits Times

18-05-2025

KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi believes that the number of youths applying for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programmes nationwide for the July intake, which closes this June, will reach 150,000.
Zahid, who is also the national TVET chairman, said this was based on the number of applications received since the intake process was centralised under the TVET Intake Unit (UP_TVET) early last month.
He said that a total of 106,000 applications had been received from youths across the country between April 1 and the end of the month under the new system.
Zahid, who is also the Rural and Regional Development Minister, said the TVET pathway should be given due attention as a practical alternative that offers a promising future.
"If they manage to reach Malaysian Skills Certificate (SKM) Level 3, it is already equivalent to the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) and can secure them a minimum salary of RM2,500," he said at the closing ceremony of the Federal Territories-level 2025 National Youth Day celebration at the Kuala Lumpur level last night.
For those pursuing SKM Levels 4 and 5, Zahid added that the qualifications are recognised as equivalent to a diploma, enabling them to further their studies in higher education.
"Six universities under the Malaysian Technical University Network (MTUN) accept students who have attained SKM Level 5," he said.
The MTUN institutions include Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL), Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka, Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah, Universiti Selangor (Unisel) and Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UMP).
Zahid acknowledged that while the mainstream education pathway, namely SPM and Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM), is suited for academically inclined students, not all excel in that environment.
"But some have a passion for technical fields. TVET is always ready to welcome them into its institutions," he said.
To support working adults opting for TVET upskilling and reskilling, Zahid said the government has introduced a scheme to ease their transition.
"We will provide a daily allowance to compensate for income loss during their training," he added.
In May 2024, the UP_TVET system, developed by the Human Resources Ministry, was launched to streamline all applications for entry into TVET institutions across 12 ministries and private agencies nationwide through a single channel.