A MAJOR roadshow has been planned to recruit trainees for the German Dual Vocational Training (GDVT).

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the target would be rural schools as urban students were already in various training programmes.

“We need to bring the vocational training programmes to these schools to give the factories the opportunity to recruit and train them at an early age.

“The GDVT programme which began last September has been successfully embraced by the manufacturing industry in Penang, which is still hampered by a lack of skilled workforce,” he said during a GDVT Engagement with the Manufacturing Industry at the Penang Skills Development Centre on Friday.

As such, Lim said the recruitment drive should focus on the entire northern region which has a bigger talent pool and not only Penang.

“The small and medium-sized enterprises are part of the ecosystem that could transform Penang into a powerful industrial cluster.

“To remain competitive, the SMEs should invest in capital and talent, and the GDVT would be the ideal programme as their employees are trained for free,” Lim further added.

The programme, presently is participated by 120 employees from seven multinationals and SMEs with 80% of the cost reimbursed from the Human Resources Development Fund and 20% by the state government.

Under the programme, which the state began with a funding of RM2mil, the trainees would receive a monthly salary of RM1,000 borne by the participating companies.

“We have a plan to re-write the concept of vocational training, which is looked upon as a profession for rejects, and the best place to begin would be the schools,” added Lim.