Latest news with #AseanTVETConference2025
The Sun
4 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Higher TVET intake marks significant education shift
KUALA LUMPUR: More than half of Malaysia's secondary school leavers in 2024 (53.56%) chose Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) as their first option, signalling a major shift in education preferences, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said yesterday Speaking at the Asean TVET Conference 2025 at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur, Ahmad Zahid said over 430,000 students are enrolled in TVET institutions nationwide, supported by reforms aimed at aligning training with industry needs. 'Our graduate employability now stands at 95.1%, a clear sign that skills training is finally matching job opportunities. And in just our second year, applications to enrol in national TVET institutions have surged past 200,000,' he said. Appointed as chair of the National TVET Council in 2023, Ahmad Zahid said his mandate was to integrate policy, industry and people into a coordinated national effort. He acknowledged that the system previously suffered from fragmented governance, inconsistent standards and a mismatch between training and market demand. He said to address these challenges, three guiding pillars were adopted – integrating the efforts of 12 ministries under a unified vision, ensuring industry relevance in skills training and promoting inclusivity so that no community is left behind. These initiatives have led to the launch of the National TVET Policy 2030, the TVET Big Data System and the TVET Madani Portal, which centralise access to institutions, courses and career pathways. A new UP_TVET application system also allows students to apply across ministries without bureaucratic barriers. Malaysia has introduced TVET certification levels equivalent to higher education qualifications (Levels 6 to 8) and expanded minimum wage coverage to include semi-skilled and TVET graduates under the Malaysian Standard Classification of Occupations Code 8 and above. Ahmad Zahid said the impact is already visible through individual success stories. 'From a fisherman's son who now works as a drone technician mapping padi fields with precision, to an Orang Asli daughter leading solar installations that light up her village, and a former factory worker who owns a welding workshop employing 12 others. 'I believe these are proofs that skills do more than change lives; they create livelihoods,' he said. Ahmad Zahid described TVET as the 'engine of regional competitiveness', aligning with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's vision in the 13th Malaysia Plan to place TVET at the heart of national growth. 'He envisions TVET as a driver for our high-growth, high-value sectors – from semiconductors and AI to renewable energy and the digital economy. 'Hence, we are embedding TVET into Malaysia's most strategic industrial zones – from the Johor–Singapore Special Economic Zone to Kulim Hi-Tech Park, Kerian Integrated Green Industrial Park and the Sabah–Sarawak growth corridors – ensuring that the supply of skills meets investment demand at its very source,' Ahmad Zahid said.
The Sun
4 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Asean hub to promote skilled worker mobility
KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi proposed the establishment of an Asean TVET Certification and Excellence Hub to standardise benchmarks, ensure mutual recognition and promote skilled worker mobility across the region. 'Our TVET journey does not stop at Malaysia's borders. We have gone to the world to strengthen our agenda, ensuring our talent is globally competitive,' Ahmad Zahid said when officiating at the Asean TVET Conference 2025 at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur. He highlighted Malaysia's recent global collaborations, including 5,125 industrial placements in China, partnerships with the Mohamed bin Zayed University of AI in Abu Dhabi and skills exchanges with Japan, Germany and Australia. Ahmad Zahid added that the initiative should be complemented by cross-border apprenticeship programmes, enabling students from the Philippines to train in Malaysia, Indonesians in Vietnam, and Thai graduates in Singapore, turning Asean integration into a practical reality through the movement of skills and knowledge. Ahmad Zahid also announced plans for a new Asean Green and Digital Skills Taskforce, which would unite member states 'in concrete actions, measurable targets and steadfast mutual support to cultivate the talent our region needs'. He reaffirmed that TVET remains central to Malaysia's economic strategy, aiming to create 1.2 million high-value jobs in manufacturing and the digital economy within the next five years. Human Resources Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong were also present at the conference. In his keynote address, Sim said: 'Firstly, Asean should be a platform to share our experiences in skills training.' Sim noted that each member state has different stages of industrialisation, and sectoral strengths could complement one another, citing Malaysia's more than half a century of high-tech manufacturing experience. 'Today we are 7% of global semiconductor trade and 13% of global semiconductor backend manufacturing,' he said, adding that Malaysia aims to become a world-class skills training centre to prepare its workforce for higher-value jobs. Sim proposed moving towards a common Asean certification framework to enable transborder recognition of skills. 'If skills are the currency of IR 4.0 (Industrial Revolution 4.0), then we must work hard towards mutual recognition,' he said, suggesting that the Asean TVET Council be strengthened to take on a greater role. He also pointed to Malaysia's legislative amendments to recognise TVET qualifications beyond the current advanced diploma level, covering consultant and expert certifications. He said these should meet stringent regional or global standards and allow free movement of expertise within Asean. Sim underscored the need for investment, noting that Malaysia spends about RM10 billion annually on TVET and skills education. 'If this is an average across Asean, we are looking at about RM100 billion annual government outlays for TVET and skills training,' he said. To illustrate Malaysia's commitment to resource sharing, Sim cited the recent opening of National Training Week to Asean citizens for the first time. The programme drew 3.5 million participants and offered over 72,000 free training courses valued at RM400 million. The two-day Asean TVET Conference 2025, jointly organised by the Human Resource Development Corporation and the Skills Development Fund Corporation Malaysia, is part of the Asean Year of Skills 2025. This year's theme, 'Advancing Digital and Green Transformations through an Inclusive and Future-Ready TVET System,' brings together over 1,500 delegates from across Asean, including policymakers, industry leaders, education providers and international partners.
New Straits Times
5 days ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
Zahid proposes Asean task force for green, digital skills development
KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has proposed the formation of an Asean Green and Digital Skills Task Force to unite member states in developing an inclusive, future-ready workforce capable of leading the global Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) industry. He said the task force could be established by building on the momentum of the ongoing Asean TVET Conference 2025, serving as a platform for concrete actions, measurable targets, and mutual support to nurture the talent the region needs. "This is how Asean will shape a workforce that is inclusive, future-ready, and poised to lead the global TVET industry," he said when opening the two-day conference at the Kuala Lumpur World Trade Centre today. He added that discussions at the conference must lead to tangible outcomes, rather than remain mere dialogue. "At this conference, I see there will be discussions on skills mismatch, the rising demand for digital and green talent, and the drive for innovation. "I have instructed my officers to capture these insights because I will not allow this to be mere dialogue. "It must spark policies that meet market needs, open opportunities for all, make employers true partners, and fast-track cutting-edge learning," he said. Zahid, who chairs the National TVET Council, also renewed calls for a regional skills recognition framework to ensure that TVET graduates from any Asean country have their qualifications recognised across the bloc, creating a single labour market for skilled workers. He said such a framework would open more employment opportunities, address skills shortages, and strengthen economic integration. Highlighting Malaysia's own approach, Zahid said the country's TVET transformation was anchored on three guiding pillars: integrating the efforts of 12 ministries under one vision to eliminate silos and duplication, aligning skills training with market needs, and ensuring inclusivity so that no community, however remote, is left behind. "These pillars form the backbone of the National TVET Policy 2030, a clear roadmap for transformation," he said. In June, Zahid had said that Malaysia was forging strategic partnerships with international educational institutions and industry players, including those from the United Kingdom, to develop a regionally recognised certification and a centre of excellence for TVET. This initiative is part of the government's goal not only to produce skilled workers, but also to make Malaysia a recognised reference centre for TVET training and certification in Asean. As for the conference today, the event is jointly organised by the Human Resource Development Corporation (HRD Corp) and the Skills Development Fund Corporation, in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and Asean. Held under the banner of the Asean Year of Skills (AYOS) 2025, ATVET 2025 brings together policymakers, industry leaders, TVET institutions and international organisations to address issues, share best practices and explore strategies for advancing technical and vocational education and training. With more than 1,000 delegates, including government representatives, industry professionals, academics and the public, the conference serves as a platform for dialogue that drives action, supporting Asean's workforce transformation goals and sustainable economic growth. Harnessing green skills is among the conference's priorities, with a session on "Green Platform: Driving Asean's Digital and Green Transformation."
