KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia has the capability to elevate its skills training sector to match international standards and Ivy League institutions, said Human Resources Minister Steven Sim.
Speaking during the closing of the National Training Week 2024 (NTW) programme, Sim highlighted that this confidence stemmed from the positive global investment perception towards Malaysia.
“Our nation had an early head start in terms of attracting high-value and technological investments, compared to neighbouring countries,” he said at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium today.
“More than half a century ago, global tech giants such as Intel, AMD, Hitachi, and Clarion visited our nation. Today, Malaysia is the destination for the latest tech firms.”
Sim expressed optimism that developing a world-class skills training sector within an ecosystem established over 50 years ago is feasible.
Looking ahead, Sim outlined the Human Resources Ministry’s (Kesuma) ambition to establish Malaysia as a national skills training hub, with an allocated budget of about RM2.6 billion announced in May.
He said this approach would leverage the efforts and resources of the departments and agencies under the ministry, creating a more integrated ecosystem.
“After this, Malaysians do not have to travel (far), the Kesuma University is without borders, and can fulfil the skill needs of every level in society,” he said.
Sim added that the initiative could also help achieve the national target of having a 35% skilled workforce by 2030.
The NTW is a free public event organised by the Human Resource Development Corporation (HRD Corp) to promote skill development and career advancement.
The event includes workshops, seminars, and training sessions led by industry experts in fields such as technology, healthcare, finance, and art.
In his speech, Sim shared that the NTW offered over 65,000 skills courses worth RM323 million nationwide, benefiting 380,000 Malaysians.
He added that the Bukit Jalil stadium hosted almost 3,000 participants who attended over 70 training courses in the past two days. – June 30, 2024