MIRI: Trainees of National Youth Skills Training Institute (IKBN) have been assured of good job prospects upon graduation, thanks to the marketability of their technical and skills-based certification.
Youth and Sports Ministry secretary-general Datuk Jamil Salleh believed that the accreditation from the institute would not only help the graduates in finding jobs, but also in setting up their own business.
He highlighted IKBN Miri as a shining example of this.
“A study on graduates’ marketability reveals that 91 per cent of graduates produced by IKBN Miri are now working across many fields not only in Sarawak, but also around the country and overseas.
“This increase from the 81 per cent in 2014, proves that IKBN Miri graduates are in high demand among many industries,” he said in a speech at the start of IKBN Miri’s eighth convocation yesterday, which celebrated 310 trainees graduating with Level 2 and 3 Malaysia Skills Certificates (SKM) in mechanical, automotive and hospitality programmes.
Adding on, Jamil also cited a study by Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), stating that the state’s mega development masterplan Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) would be needing around 600,000 skilled and semi-skilled workers by 2030.
“However on the basis that we have 54 public TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) centres and 35 private learning institutions in Sarawak, we would only be able to produce around 170,000 skilled workforce by 2030. In conclusion, those with TVET skills are highly in demand,” he said.
Moreover, Jamil said to ensure that the country’s economy would remain globally relevant and competitive, it would be crucial for Malaysia to have a sustainable pool of ‘skilful, creative and innovative workforce’.
The creation of IKBN came about through a transformation programme set in April last year, involving 20 institutes run under the purview of the Youth and Sports Ministry.
The key mission was to add value to the courses offered by these institutes, making them more viable and relevant to the demands within the employment market.
Under this initiative, IKBN Miri has become the training hub for oil and gas (O&G), automotive and hospitality courses in Sarawak and Sabah.
In this regard, IKBN Miri has also formed several strategic collaborations with various industrial players across the state, such as Meritz Hotel, Miri Small Industries Association (PIKM), Prisma HZ Services, Soon Kin Auto Spraying Centre, Oceancare Corporation Sdn Bhd and Nasi Lemak Antarabangsa Kampung Baru–Miri.
Jamil presented the scrolls to the graduates, accompanied IKBN Miri director Razali Mohamad and witnessed by Assistant Minister of Communication Datuk Lee Kim Shin who is also chairman of IKBN Miri Panel of Advisors, as well as director of Youth Skills Development Section, Zainuddin Yahya.
Source: http://miri.my/2015/11/09/no-job-woes-for-ikbn-grads-thanks-to-marketability-of-courses/