Latest news with #TESP
The Herald Scotland
31-07-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
We're heading for a two-tier system of electrical workers
Skills England, a government agency of the UK's Department for Education, confirmed the funding rise earlier this month to The Electrotechnical Skills Partnership (TESP), which delivers skills projects and careers information for the electrotechnical industry. TESP said: 'Skills England has advised us that the Secretary of State has accepted its funding recommendation of £23,000 for the Installation & Maintenance Electrician apprenticeship. This represents an increase of £3,000 on the current funding band.' In Scotland funding for apprenticeships has stalled for over seven years and has actually reduced by more than 30 per cent in real terms due to inflation. In Scotland, electrical apprenticeships are offered through Skills Development Scotland's Modern Apprenticeship programmes, which provide paid, on-the-job training programmes that combine work with industry-recognised qualifications. There is a clear danger of a two-tier system, with Scottish industry losing out to England's, as well as a very real risk that we will lose a generation of skilled electrical talent when we can least afford it. The upshot is we cannot begin to have a renewables future in Scotland without electricians, so the Scottish Government must find the cash. To exacerbate this situation, we believe the UK Government's tough new proposals on immigration raise the possibility that Scotland will be increasingly at risk of skilled contractors heading south to replace foreign workers. We believe the proposals to raise the qualification standards for foreign workers could see a significant number abandoning the UK and returning home, with Scottish construction workers flooding south to fill the resulting shortage south of the Border. Raising the thresholds for skilled workers may seem on the face of it to be a laudable aim, but it is likely to be detrimental to recruitment in the major UK population areas and that means workers will be sucked in from Scotland and elsewhere. In areas such as London, it is estimated that 50 per cent of the workforce is from abroad, so if they leave, Scottish workers are likely to flood south to take up highly-paid jobs, leaving the domestic construction sector in crisis. This could leave Scotland bereft of skills, with no opportunity to top up from abroad, and could lead to the worst of all possible worlds just as we need these skills to fulfil our transition to a net zero economy. Construction is a vital pillar of the Scottish economy, supporting infrastructure development, housing delivery and the green transition, yet it is experiencing a persistent and growing skills shortage already. This ticking time bomb could leave Scotland without enough skilled workers to build the country we need. And while there may be little we can do about immigration, Scotland absolutely must not be left behind when it comes to apprenticeship funding. Alan Wilson is Managing Director of SELECT, Scotland's largest construction trade association.
The Sun
23-04-2025
- Business
- The Sun
MARA cannot sponsor students receiving financial aid from other agencies
KUALA LUMPUR: Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) director-general Datuk Zulfikri Osman has clarified that the agency cannot offer sponsorships to students who have already received financial aid from other sources. Commenting on the case involving medical students at Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah (UniSHAMS), Zulfikri said their applications were rejected because they had secured loans from the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN). He explained that when applications for the Tertiary Education Sponsorship Programme (TESP) opened last November, the guidelines clearly stated that receiving financial assistance from another agency would render an applicant ineligible, an established condition that has been in place for decades. 'This is not a new requirement. It's similar to applying for a home loan, you can't finance the same house with two separate banks. 'Likewise, MARA aims to prioritise Bumiputera students who have yet to receive support from any other sponsor,' he said in a statement today. Zulfikri reaffirmed MARA's commitment to providing study loans to ensure equitable access to quality and competitive higher education. He noted that since 1999, MARA has sponsored 423 students at UniSHAMS, with 173 currently receiving support across various fields, including 144 in medicine. As of March 31, a total of 4,510 Bumiputera students pursuing medical studies in Malaysia are being sponsored by MARA. Earlier media reports highlighted concerns raised by parents, who claimed that 50 medical students at UniSHAMS were under significant financial pressure after their MARA sponsorship applications were rejected. They have since called for urgent intervention from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and MARA Chairman Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki to help resolve the matter.
The Sun
23-04-2025
- Business
- The Sun
MARA: No dual sponsorship for students
KUALA LUMPUR: Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) director-general Datuk Zulfikri Osman has clarified that the agency cannot offer sponsorships to students who have already received financial aid from other sources. Commenting on the case involving medical students at Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah (UniSHAMS), Zulfikri said their applications were rejected because they had secured loans from the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN). He explained that when applications for the Tertiary Education Sponsorship Programme (TESP) opened last November, the guidelines clearly stated that receiving financial assistance from another agency would render an applicant ineligible, an established condition that has been in place for decades. 'This is not a new requirement. It's similar to applying for a home loan, you can't finance the same house with two separate banks. 'Likewise, MARA aims to prioritise Bumiputera students who have yet to receive support from any other sponsor,' he said in a statement today. Zulfikri reaffirmed MARA's commitment to providing study loans to ensure equitable access to quality and competitive higher education. He noted that since 1999, MARA has sponsored 423 students at UniSHAMS, with 173 currently receiving support across various fields, including 144 in medicine. As of March 31, a total of 4,510 Bumiputera students pursuing medical studies in Malaysia are being sponsored by MARA. Earlier media reports highlighted concerns raised by parents, who claimed that 50 medical students at UniSHAMS were under significant financial pressure after their MARA sponsorship applications were rejected. They have since called for urgent intervention from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and MARA Chairman Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki to help resolve the matter.
The Star
23-04-2025
- Business
- The Star
Mara cannot sponsor students receiving aid from other agencies, says DG
KUALA LUMPUR: Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) director-general Datuk Zulfikri Osman clarifies that the agency cannot offer sponsorships to students who have already received financial aid from other sources. Commenting on the case involving medical students at Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah (UniSHAMS), Zulfikri said their applications were rejected because they had secured loans from the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN). He explained that when applications for the Tertiary Education Sponsorship Programme (TESP) opened last November, the guidelines clearly stated that receiving financial assistance from another agency would render an applicant ineligible, an established condition that has been in place for decades. "This is not a new requirement. It's similar to applying for a home loan, you can't finance the same house with two separate banks. "Likewise, Mara aims to prioritise Bumiputera students who have yet to receive support from any other sponsor," he said in a statement Wednesday (April 23). Zulfikri also reaffirmed Mara's commitment to providing study loans to ensure equitable access to quality and competitive higher education. He noted that since 1999, Mara has sponsored 423 students at UniSHAMS, with 173 currently receiving support across various fields, including 144 in medicine. As of March 31, a total of 4,510 Bumiputera students pursuing medical studies in Malaysia are being sponsored by Mara. Earlier media reports highlighted concerns raised by parents, who claimed that 50 medical students at UniSHAMS were under significant financial pressure after their Mara sponsorship applications were rejected. They have since called for urgent intervention from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Mara chairman Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki to help resolve the matter. — Bernama
Malay Mail
23-04-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
MARA: No sponsorship for students already receiving other financial aid
KUALA LUMPUR, April 23 — Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) director-general Datuk Zulfikri Osman has clarified that the agency cannot offer sponsorships to students who have already received financial aid from other sources. Commenting on the case involving medical students at Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah (UniSHAMS), Zulfikri said their applications were rejected because they had secured loans from the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN). He explained that when applications for the Tertiary Education Sponsorship Programme (TESP) opened last November, the guidelines clearly stated that receiving financial assistance from another agency would render an applicant ineligible, an established condition that has been in place for decades. 'This is not a new requirement. It's similar to applying for a home loan, you can't finance the same house with two separate banks. 'Likewise, MARA aims to prioritise Bumiputera students who have yet to receive support from any other sponsor,' he said in a statement today. Zulfikri reaffirmed MARA's commitment to providing study loans to ensure equitable access to quality and competitive higher education. He noted that since 1999, MARA has sponsored 423 students at UniSHAMS, with 173 currently receiving support across various fields, including 144 in medicine. As of March 31, a total of 4,510 Bumiputera students pursuing medical studies in Malaysia are being sponsored by MARA. Earlier media reports highlighted concerns raised by parents, who claimed that 50 medical students at UniSHAMS were under significant financial pressure after their MARA sponsorship applications were rejected. They have since called for urgent intervention from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and MARA Chairman Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki to help resolve the matter. — Bernama
