29/01/2026

THURSDAY | JAN 29, 2026

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TVET emerging as strategic career path for youth

JOHOR BAHRU: Sekolah Rintis Bangsa Johor is seen as a “laboratory” and an early investment by the state government in nurturing local science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) talent. Johor Economic and Investment advisor Datuk Seri Hasni Mohammad said engineers, technocrats and accountants are key to attracting high-tech multinationals amid the development of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone. He said investment in STEM talent must be carried out progressively, citing China as an example, where millions of graduates have strengthened its high-value industrial ecosystem and economic stability. Hasni, who is also Johor Economic, Tourism and Culture Office executive chairman, said the focus of the initiative on English ensures local talent develops strong cognitive, critical thinking and data-driven decision-making skills. He said this holistic approach is key to developing a generation that thinks critically, resists misinformation and interprets information rationally. “If we master languages, we can understand better and make decisions more easily. This is also the contributing factor to expanding the intellectual capacity of Johor’s people.” State Information and Education Committee chairman Aznan Tamin said the Sekolah Rintis Bangsa Johor education ecosystem is holistic and continuous, spanning from early childhood to the workforce, Bernama reported. “The state government is refining the Tadika Rintis Bangsa Johor programme in strategic partnership with the state Education Department, the Community Development Department and the Johor Education Foundation, which will serve as a feeder system for Sekolah Rintis Bangsa Johor,” he said, adding that the education transformation plan is carefully mapped out to position Johor as a leader in quality education. “We aim to implement a strategic education plan from early childhood to cultivate an excellent and competitive Bangsa Johor generation by 2031.” Initiative in Johor nurtures STEM talent

o Increased graduate employability rate shows skilled workers in demand KUALA LUMPUR: Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is emerging as a strategic career path and a top choice, aligning with current industry needs. This is driven by an increasing demand from industries for skilled labour, particularly in critical sectors such as aircraft and vehicle maintenance, which requires theoretical knowledge and demands specific technical skills and complex practical training. Advance Technology Training Centre (Adtec) Shah Alam Aviation Division lecturer and quality manager Ahmad Zulhisham Abdul Wahab said the employability rate of TVET graduates has shown an increase every year, proving that the field is becoming increasingly relevant and needed in the job market. “Based on Adtec records, nearly 99% of graduates secure employment within a short period after graduation. “More impressively, based on the excellent track record of graduates in the industry, large companies have started ‘locking in’ students as early as their fifth and sixth semesters.” Reviewing the TVET education module, he said students in the field of maintenance, repair and overhaul, especially aircraft maintenance, are not only exposed to theoretical knowledge, but also receive more hands-on training. “Practical training using various types of real aircraft and helicopters gives students an advantage in understanding the real work environment, increasing their level of preparedness when they enter the workforce. “In three years of study, students have the opportunity to obtain three important certificates simultaneously, namely the Diploma in Technology from the Human Resources Department, a Malaysian Skills Diploma Level Four from the Skills Development Department and an Aircraft Maintenance Technician Category A licence recognised by the Civil

Ahmad Zulhisham said students in the field of maintenance, repair and overhaul, especially aircraft maintenance, are exposed to theoretical knowledge and receive more hands-on training. – BERNAMAPIC

is low-class or that skills such as welding are only suitable for small jobs, when in fact many sectors, including critical fields, require skilled welders and offer significantly higher salary structures compared with other sectors. “At UniKL, welding modules and training are developed to meet the needs of large and complex industries, such as oil and gas, which require highly skilled personnel capable of performing tasks accurately and with quality.” National Organisation of Skilled Workers president Mohammad Rizan Hassan, who is also a National TVET Council member, said the issue of perception remains a major obstacle to the development of TVET in the country. “TVET continues to be seen as a second-class path. Many talented young people in technical fields are not given early opportunities to develop, contributing to a shortage of local technicians and technologists. “This situation leads to continued reliance on foreign workers and a waste of the potential of local youth who possess high practical skills but are not given proper recognition in the country’s education and job market ecosystem.”

Aviation Authority.” He said the career scope for TVET graduates is not limited to the technical level, but could expand up to the level of an engineer depending on experience and career advancement, including the chance to serve in the Air Force, police and the Fire and Rescue Department. Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL)-Malaysia France Institute deputy dean (Student Development and Campus Lifestyle) Dr Siti Norhafiza Abdul Razak said the stigma that TVET is a second-class or unmarketable field needs to be completely eradicated. She said TVET graduates are highly valued and in great demand, as evidenced by the 99.7% employability rate of graduates in the field at UniKL within six months of graduation, Bernama reported. “Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia holders who are inclined towards practical skills-based learning should make TVET their primary career path choice, not only because of more guaranteed job opportunities, but also as a medium to improve their quality of life and social mobility. “We need to reject the perception that TVET

Education retains its importance in the Malaysian landscape for parents, students and stakeholders. The changes are fast paced with new developments in new fields of study such as cybersecurity, data protection, augmented and virtual reality, machine learning in education, digital education and artificial Intelligence. Leading the way are universities, who are invited to showcase their latest programmes, curriculum and content in our Education Focus for 2026.

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