Over 750,000 jobs will require technical and vocational skills by 2020

60% of the 1.5 million jobs that are projected to be created under the 11th Malaysian Plan or 11MP will require technical and vocational education and training (TVET) skills.

According to the development plan for 2016-2020 tabled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in the Dewan Rakyat today, this will make TVET the most important avenue for increasing Malaysia's skilled human capital base as the country aspires to attain the status of an advanced nation by 2020.

In this plan, government plans to:

• Intenstify collaboration with industry to improve student intake in TVET
• Improve the quality of programmes and institutions
• Improve the sector's overall branding and profile

During the tabling of Budget 2015, the Malaysian government has allotted RM50 million to Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) to implement technical, vocational education and training (TVET) programmes next year. The government has also agreed to set aside a huge allocation to the Education Ministry for the placement of 10,000 students at technical and vocational colleges nationwide next year.

This allocation is apt as the country is still 46 per cent short of workers with technical and vocational skills. In 2013, reports show that 28% of Malaysia’s 12 million workforce are highly skilled.