KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 8 (Bernama) — The government aims for students in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to align with industry needs, while also promoting the hiring of skilled local talent by businesses.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Rural and Regional Development, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, said the government also wants these graduates to secure premium and high-paying jobs.
He said foreign direct investment (FDI) coming into Malaysia should not necessitate bringing in skilled workers from abroad, as the local workforce should be capable of filling those roles.
Ahmad Zahid, who also chairs the National TVET Council, emphasised that TVET must be aligned with industry requirements to achieve this goal.
He made these comments after chairing a roundtable discussion with representatives from government-linked companies (GLCs) and government-linked investment companies (GLICs) in Putrajaya today.
During the session, Ahmad Zahid announced that five key decisions had been made to improve the coordination and effectiveness of TVET in Malaysia.
Among the decisions was a directive for GLCs and GLICs to clearly identify the types of skills needed in their respective sectors. This would allow TVET institutions to tailor their courses and curriculum accordingly.
He also stressed that all TVET courses must be reviewed and recognised by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency and the Department of Skills Development, to ensure that the qualifications gained are formally accredited and industry-relevant.
A further initiative includes the introduction of specialised TVET programmes for inmates and recovering drug addicts at Narcotics Addiction Rehabilitation Centres, enabling them to acquire vocational skills and become productive members of society upon reintegration.
Ahmad Zahid also shared updated figures, stating that 436,000 students are currently pursuing studies in TVET institutions, an increase from 407,000 the previous year. This figure does not include the ongoing intake process, during which around 229,000 applications were received from 76,000 individuals across 1,398 institutions nationwide.
The total government allocation for TVET across 12 ministries currently stands at RM8.7 billion. Ahmad Zahid expressed hope that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim would consider increasing the TVET budget for the upcoming year, to ensure that Malaysia continues to build a strong pipeline of skilled talent.
Today’s roundtable discussion followed a Cabinet decision made on 2 July 2025, in which the government agreed that GLCs and GLICs should take a more active role in providing training opportunities for TVET students. This move is seen as essential to transitioning Malaysia’s TVET ecosystem from one that is predominantly government-driven to one that is led by industry needs.
The session aimed to streamline the participation of GLCs and GLICs in strengthening the TVET framework by focusing on areas such as direct investment in TVET development, strategic input into curriculum design, provision of industrial training opportunities, scholarships and job placements, as well as leadership in high-impact collaborative initiatives.
A total of 14 GLCs, one GLIC, five government agencies, and eight TVET institutions took part in the roundtable. Among the participating organisations were Petronas, Prasarana Malaysia Bhd, Telekom Malaysia, Tenaga Nasional Bhd, and Malaysia Aviation Group, with Khazanah Nasional Bhd representing the GLICs.
Also in attendance were the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) and its agencies, including the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) and the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA).
TVET institutions such as polytechnics, vocational colleges, Advanced Technology Training Centres (ADTEC), GiatMARA, and DRB-HICOM University were also represented.
— BERNAMA
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