Kuala Lumpur: A total of 106,000 applications have been received from youths nationwide to join Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) courses since the intake process was centralised under the TVET Intake Unit (UPTVET) beginning early last month. Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi indicated that the number is expected to rise to at least 150,000 applications by the end of June, which highlights the effectiveness of the new approach.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Ahmad Zahid emphasized that not all youths excelled academically, suggesting that the TVET pathway should be given due attention as a practical alternative promising a bright future. He mentioned that achieving the Malaysian Skills Certificate (SKM) Level 3 is equivalent to the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) and can secure a minimum salary of RM2,500. Furthermore, SKM-4 and SKM-5 are equivalent to diploma-level qualifications.
During the closing ceremony of the Federal Territory-level 2025 National Youth Day celebration, attended by Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Adam Adli Abdul Halim, Ahmad Zahid, who chairs the National TVET Council, announced that six universities are ready to offer TVET courses. These universities include Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL), Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM), Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM), Universiti Selangor (Unisel), Universiti Malaysia Perlis, and Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA).
The Minister of Rural and Regional Development added that, in addition to youth enrolment, the government is focusing on aiding 1.16 million youths in the e-hailing, p-hailing, and creative industries. Many youths possess talent but lack formal qualifications, which could affect productivity by age 40 if they do not upskill.
To address this, the government is offering reskilling and upskilling programmes in TVET fields to enhance skills and income. A daily allowance will also be provided to ease the financial impact during the training period.
Ahmad Zahid also expressed concern over the rate of fatal crashes involving youths, noting that 90 percent of the 6,000 deaths recorded annually involved this group. He stressed the urgency of addressing this issue to prevent losing a productive labour force among the youth. As chairman of the Cabinet Committee on Road Safety, he urged the Malaysian Youth Council (MBM) and respective state youth councils (MBNs) to organize special motorcycling courses for young riders, focusing on safety and maintenance.
Additionally, he called for the creation of special programmes for youths not affiliated with any associations, ensuring they are included in development efforts. Ahmad Zahid agreed to implement several initiatives for youths in the Federal Territory, including free e-sports courses at UniKL, TVET programmes in the electric vehicle (EV) automotive field, and green technology-based programmes for urban youth.