ARAU: The Ministry of Higher Education (KPT) is looking at the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) ecosystem in the higher education sector to strengthen the government’s efforts to ensure the success of the technical education and training system.
Its minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the TVET ecosystem in the higher education sector encompasses polytechnics, the Malaysian Technical University Network (MTUN) as well as other public universities that offer engineering and technology programmes, such as Universiti Malaya (UM).
“So, we want to see where the higher education ecosystem is, the TVET study offered, and we will develop for this TVET ecosystem things that will strengthen our efforts to make TVET a success in the country,“ he said.
He said this to reporters after opening Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP) TVET Centre in conjunction with his working visit to the university at its Alam Campus, Pauh Putra, here today. Also present was UniMAP vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Zaliman Sauli.
Meanwhile, Mohamed Khaled said the job marketability rate of UniMAP graduates was now 97 per cent with an increase in its graduates getting premium salaries every year.
“One strength that UniMAP has is that many of its programmes are followed by professional programmes, and this can be done because the collaboration with industries has given training exposure to UniMAP’s academic staff to become trainees to offer professional certificates.
“We know that a professional certificate is an added value for a graduate, with a professional certificate it is not only easy to get a job but (also) to get a better income, which is why UniMAP is among universities that have a high graduate marketability of 97 per cent,“ he added.
He expressed the need for UniMAP, among other things, to expand and improve its efforts to develop talent, especially in the field of electricity and electronics (E&E), particularly semiconductors, since that field requires a large number of skilled workers.
“With the advancement of technology, many new jobs will be created, and many old jobs will be abolished, hence the need for UniMAP to be smart by introducing an advanced TVET programme and more Work Based Learning programmes,” he added.–Bernama
