PETALING JAYA: Employers have been urged to provide financial assistance to staff keen to pursue higher education or learn new skills.
Human resource expert Nurul Nashazrina Latiff said it would be a proactive approach that benefits employees by enhancing their skill sets and fuel innovation and growth within their companies.
She said according to data from the Alliance for International Exchange, an association that represents organisations and companies comprising the educational and cultural exchange community in the US, the number of scholarships to study in that country offered by Malaysian companies and government agencies has recently declined.
“While the data reported that major organisations such as Khazanah Nasional, Petronas and Bank Negara Malaysia continue to fund educational opportunities in the US, many of the scholarships are reserved for Bumiputera students.
“Thus, students of Chinese, Indian and other ethnic groups must find other sources of funds to finance their studies abroad,” Nurul Nashazrina said, adding that employers should provide funds to their employees to attend at least short courses in local colleges and universities.
She said doing so could help increase employee loyalty, reduce turnover and increase productivity, in addition to providing employers with a pool of highly skilled workers who are able to continue developing professionally.
Jun Hui Xian, a 31-year-old process engineer at a Kuala Lumpur-based international company supplying crude oil and natural gas, said she benefitted from her company’s employee education fund.
“I enrolled in some intensive courses in local colleges that partnered with companies such as mine, and I received a compensation package with tuition reimbursement and flexible working hours.”
Jun said the courses she enrolled for have enhanced her skills in computer-aided design and particle technology.
“I have improved my technical abilities and have become a more valuable asset to my company. Having such support demonstrates that my employer values its employees and their professional growth,” she said.
Vivian Ming Chua, who is workforce development division head in the same organisation, said up to 90 employees are offered compensation packages annually to pursue tertiary education.
“Investing in our employees’ education is a priority for us. Providing them with opportunities to enhance their knowledge and skills will keep them engaged and motivated. It also enables us to stay competitive in the ever-changing industry,” she said.
Meanwhile, human capital management expert and recruiter Presana Kalaiselvan said each employer’s educational fund assistance programme may be unique and tailored to specific goals and resources.
“There are companies that (focus) on their workforce productivity and turnover rates,” she said, adding that employers with lower resources could offer to subsidise a portion of the tuition expenses through a reimbursement plan or by direct payment to the educational institution.
“Employers could also offer in-house programmes or partner with external training providers to offer courses or workshops.
“To save money, employers could provide access to resources and tools that support employee learning, such as online courses and educational subscriptions.”
However, she emphasised that when providing financial assistance, employers should establish clear policies outlining the eligibility criteria, reimbursement limits and any obligations or commitments required of the employees.
“This includes minimum grades or a service bond after completing their courses.”
