Melaka: The introduction of the Madani Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Empowerment Financing Scheme and the TVET Training Fund in the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) signifies the government's commitment to enhancing educational and skill training opportunities for youth, particularly those from the B40 and M40 groups.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) Vice Chancellor Prof Datuk Dr. Massila Kamalrudin stated that the financing scheme not only covers training fees but also living expenses, thereby enabling rural youth to engage in TVET programs without financial barriers.
"The implementation of the TVET Training Fund, based on strategic collaboration with the industry, ensures that participants receive relevant training aligned with current market needs. Training is now more concentrated on high-impact sectors such as electric vehicles (EV), automation, renewable energy, semiconductors, and artificial intelligence (AI)," she explained in a statement.
Dr. Massila further elaborated on the expansion of TVET access to rural areas through mobile TVET programs and the establishment of satellite training centers, benefiting communities in villages, islands, and Orang Asli areas. She emphasized that no group will be excluded from national development efforts.
The 13MP also introduced skills training opportunities for tahfiz students, forming a group of huffaz equipped with technical and entrepreneurial skills to meet today's workforce demands. Dr. Massila highlighted UTeM's commitment as part of the Malaysian Technical University Network (MTUN) to producing world-class TVET graduates through initiatives such as JELITA, TVET Place, and Train and PUTEK.
The JELITA (Job Empowerment by Learning and Inclusive Technical Advancement) program, for instance, has successfully trained over 3,000 female participants across key zones, including Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA), Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM), and Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP), providing exposure to technical certification and interviews with multinational companies.
Dr. Massila noted that over 80 percent of Place and Train participants have been successfully integrated into the job market upon completing their training, particularly in strategic sectors like automation and semiconductors. Other initiatives, such as campus shops development, UTeM night market programs, and PUTEK (Technical Entrepreneur Development) programs, foster technical entrepreneurship among students.
Through PUTEK, graduates have the chance to receive a 60:40 matching funding grant to initiate technical businesses, including in digitizing small and medium enterprises. Dr. Massila asserted that the success of initiatives under 13MP would be more effective with robust support from various parties, emphasizing the necessity of cooperation between the government, industry, educational institutions, parents, and the community to ensure no young person is deprived of the opportunity to build their future through TVET.