KUALA LUMPUR: The Human Resources Ministry, through the Manpower Department, has designated 18 out of its 32 training institutes to implement new technology development programmes based on their respective sectors.
Deputy Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad said the move was carried out to avoid overlapping programme implementations in the department's training institutes.
He said each new technology to be developed would be assigned a specific institute to ensure optimisation of resources and development of instructors.
In doing so, any overlap would be prevented, he added.
"The overlap of programmes in the training institutes is due to the need to meet local requirements and accommodate the high number of applications.
"For this purpose, the department has decided that 18 out of 32 training institutes will implement new technology development programmes, and the development of instructors will be based on 10 technology clusters," he said during question time in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Rahman said this in response to a supplementary question from Dr Kelvin Yii Lee Wuen (PH-Bandar Kuching) regarding the government's plans to avoid overlapping courses in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programmes.
He added that the department has also conducted a rationalisation study of skills training programmes in its training institutes, while reorganising the programmes offered to optimise available resources.
"For example, the training institute in Selandar, which has a low application rate, has been transformed into a TVET Tahfiz programme starting from 2024."
Rahman also said the department has initiated the offering of programmes in the transportation sector involving electric vehicle and drone technology.
"The ministry, through the department, is also planning to establish a premium training institute as part of the ministry's initiatives to rebrand TVET.
"The initiative is also one of the ministry's efforts to offer more flexible programmes that meet the industry's needs by collaborating with high-impact companies to enhance TVET programmes in the country."