KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia possesses the potential to enhance its skills training sector to meet global 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.
“Over half a century ago, prominent global tech corporations including Intel, AMD, Hitachi, and Clarion made a visit to our nation. Today, Malaysia is the chosen destination for cutting-edge tech companies.”
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 mentioned that this strategy would utilize the work and resources of the various departments and agencies within the ministry, establishing a more cohesive 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 National Training Workshop (NTW) is an event open to the public and organized by the Human Resource Development Corporation (HRD Corp) with the aim of fostering skill enhancement and professional growth.
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 mentioned that nearly 3,000 individuals participated in more than 70 training sessions at the Bukit Jalil stadium within the last 48 hours. -MalayaDailyToday
