May 7—In our modern tech-oriented society, students face numerous challenges while selecting their education pathway beyond primary or secondary studies. Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) has transformed into a pragmatic choice for SPM and STPM leavers who want fast career advancement or business ownership.
Technical and Vocational Education and Training as an educational approach predates new perceptions that have dramatically improved its standing. Priorly considered a substandard educational track, TVET is now a confirmed route that produces market-needed skilled graduates for various industries.
So, what exactly is TVET? Students receive practical education through TVET, which covers engineering, automotive, information technology, modern agriculture, culinary arts and product design. Students within TVET gain knowledge through practical experiences within workshops and labs while working in actual industry settings.
Malaysia maintains over 1,300 TVET institutions, which include Vocational Colleges, together with Polytechnics and Community Colleges, and skill institutes Giatmara and National Youth Skills Institutes (IKBN), plus technical universities Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) and others within the Malaysian Technical University Network (MTUN).
Students can pursue TVET programs from certificates to bachelor’s degrees at these institutions, which follow modern industries’ requirements. The employment outlook for TVET graduates remains high. The overall employability rate will reach 94.5 per cent by 2024, while MARA institutions will show a surpassing outcome of 98.7 per cent annually. In 2023, the figure nearly touched 100 per cent. The swift job acquisition rate by TVET students indicates that they find employment in their fields just months after graduating, whereas typical degree graduates struggle with unemployment.
The Malaysian government has started executing the National TVET Policy 2030 through initiatives for digital transformation, combined with AI and Iot developments, and by building better academic-industry partnerships. Through this policy implementation, TVET graduates maintain competitiveness across the domestic and international workforce.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi visits the exhibition site in conjunction with the National TVET Day 2024 celebration at the Kuala Langat Industrial Training Institute, June 7, 2024. — Bernama pic
From Skilled Talent to Technopreneurs
The modern concept of TVET includes the development of skilled talent but also focuses on creating technopreneurs. Through technical entrepreneurship, educational settings encourage students to establish their jobs. UTHM enhances its technical and vocational programs by teaching entrepreneurship through innovation workshops, developing business incubators, and maintaining industrial partnerships. UTHM provides students with complete assistance for business registration as part of their graduation process.
UTHM received endorsement from over 50 prominent companies such as PETRONAS, Maybank, Nestlé, and CelcomDigi to become the “Employers’ Choice of University” according to the 2025 National Graduate Employability Index released by Talentbank. Students graduating with technical knowledge and entrepreneurial thinking can launch businesses in electrical repair, automotive services, digital product design and other sectors through funding support from TEKUN, MARA and SME Corp.
UTHM progresses toward its Global Technopreneur University 2030 (GTU2030) objective to become a leading technopreneurial institution by 2030. The institution plans to digitize 50 per cent of its academic programs by 2025 while applying Quadruple Helix models to encourage academic-industrial-government-community innovation collaborations.
Through its GRITT framework (Global, Resilience, Innovative, Trustworthy, Talent), the university trains competitive graduates who demonstrate skill and ethical behaviour with resilience. During difficult economic times, a specific skill is a valuable advantage for people.
A TVET certification is a launching point for career paths, business development, and continuous learning throughout life. High-school students who want to find their career path discover that TVET grants both a quick route to jobs that last while becoming independent and developing innovative ideas.
* This is the personal opinion of the writers or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
