IPOH: The synergy approach between industry and institutions of institutions of higher learning (IPT) is extended to polytechnics and community colleges (POLYCC) as one of the measures to strengthen the country’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) fields.
Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said the measure is one the new approaches in dealing with changes in the world of work which has a high demand for new fields including TVET.
“If before we only emphasised the synergy between industry and courses offered in universities, now it is also extended to polytechnics and community colleges in efforts to raise the position of studies in the technical field,“ he told reporters after officiating the POLYCC 2024 Nexus Industry Programme (INDex POLYCC 2024) at the Ungku Omar Polytechnic here today.
Also present at the event was Polytechnic Education and Community College Department (JPPKK) director-general Datuk Dr Mohd Zahari Ismail.
Zambry said his team is also currently implementing a ‘work-based learning’ system where students in skill fields are encouraged to continue their studies while in the industry (jobs) to obtain a higher level certificate including a degree.
“We are thinking maybe two years on campus, two years in the industry (to qualify for a higher certificate). We have started this system for courses at MTUN (Malaysian Technical University Network), and at Ungku Omar Polytechnic there are also courses that have been offered up to the degree level,“ he said.
Meanwhile, Mohd Zahari in his speech said polytechnic graduates recorded a marketability rate of 97.1 per cent last year and polytechnics attracted more than 30,000 students for the new intake recently.
“This big success is partly due to the solid support of 19,000 industries who give untiring support whether in the form of equipment sponsorship, scholarships, industrial training placements, expertise sharing and much more,“ he said.
INDex POLYCC 2024, which was held today, is a platform of the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) and JPPKK to interact with 20 members of the Polytechnic Industry Advisory Council thus allowing lecturers and students to benefit by offering programmes according to industry needs, as well as the latest industry training and at the same time increasing the marketability of graduates.
In the same ceremony, 45 industry players received the CEO@POLYCC Certificate of Appointment and this included veteran film director Datuk Yusof Haslam, who is also Skop Production Sdn Bhd managing director, followed by an exchange session of 15 memorandums of understanding (MoU) between JPPKK and the industry.
In the meantime, Yayasan Telekom Malaysia (YTM) also handed over a donation of RM3.5 million to JPPKK through the launch of TM TVET Madani @ POLYCC as a synergistic and collaborative effort between YTM and JPPKK in dignifying TVET institutions in Malaysia.
The donation, among other things, is aimed at implementing activities in providing learning facilities following industry specifications as well as professional training and certification through focus areas such as cybersecurity, cloud computing, fibre and software testing.
