PENJANA HRDF emphasises upskilling, reskilling to enhance employability

HRDF chief executive Shahul Hameed Dawood said that the PENJANA HRDF Initiative is implemented to specifically ensure the nation’s workforce is employable, particularly school-leavers, fresh graduates and retrenched workers.

THE government’s PENJANA plan was implemented to assist Malaysians affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The PENJANA HRDF Initiative was launched in June this year on the heels of PENJANA announcement by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

Part of this plan includes upgrading Malaysians through upskilling and reskilling programmes and focus on workforce marketability and job matching.

The task was taken on by Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF), an agency under Ministry of Human Resources.

This is the last of a three-part series focusing on training providers whose role is to train and provide job placements to those who are affected.

“The strategy behind the PENJANA HRDF Initiative is good and inclusive as it covers five different schemes: Place & Train, B40 Development, GIG Economy, Industry Revolution 4.0, and SME Development, ” explained president of the Malaysian Bumiputera Training Providers Association (MBTA) Azman Shah Datuk Aziz.

MBTA president Azman Shah Dato' Aziz

He added, “That widens the target audience. Because at the end of the day, you have to address future skills.”

He pointed out that the current competency in skillsets is insufficient, which is why the PENJANA HRDF Initiative was aimed at upskilling and retraining the workforce.

“We’ve been talking about disruption, but then we got hit by Covid-19, ” he shared.

“There is no way we can survive if we don’t pivot or adjust. That is why some of these programmes we do are for participants to become more agile and to instil Malaysians with new skillsets.”

In addition, Azman added that the money being spent on running the PENJANA HRDF Incentive increases the cash flow within the country and helps keep the economy going.

Part of MBTA’s goal is to join in the development of trade, groom younger training providers and provide a platform to work with an agency, such as the HRDF.

Established in November 2017, the association endeavours to contribute towards nation building as a partner and it has plans to open chapters around the country soon to reach out to more members.

He said, “Without PENJANA programmes, even we, the training providers would not have survived.”

Under the B40 Development Scheme, those who run small businesses were given a start-up kit and guidance on how to formulate business plans and recover from the pandemic impact, as well as mentorship.

“We also have an online business acumen programmes with different packages for the participants to enrol in, ” he said.

Participants also receive allowances together with the-start up kit, which together with the motivating programmes, will help uplift them in their businesses.

Azman states that at the moment, sustaining is enough, so the GIG Scheme galvanises participants to become active in finding other sources of income. One of the programmes is on e-hailing, a business that is doubling and quadrupling.

He shared, “We’ll encourage them to also not only do one job, but to work two jobs that can fit with what they are doing.”

This ensures the participants are not idling away at home, but are out there in the job market, meeting people, networking and equipping themselves with better knowledge.

They also get to look at other opportunities or meet people who are in the same boat so they will not feel that they are alone in this situation.

“We tell our members, when they deliver their training, to set up a networking group, like on WhatsApp and allow the participants to actively contribute and support each other’s successes with ideas and constructive opinions.

“Some even set up joint ventures with their businesses.

“That is also a good way for us to provide part-time jobs to these participants, ” he noted.

HRDF has been very supportive and has helped MBTA in with regards to what the PENJANA HRDF Incentive is all about and the best ways to get involved as an association.

“We also get educated and from there, we’ll also filter the information down to our members, ” Azman disclosed.

With support of HRDF, setting up and running programmes have become easier and smoother as they are less bound to bureaucracy and guidelines, especially in the setting up training companies, submission of proposals and more.

Many of its processes have been streamlined, making it faster and easier for training to commence.

“It is achieving its goal, ” he said. “After all, the implementation has only been a few months, but already, a lot of good and positive things are happening.”

To date, PENJANA HRDF Initiative is collaborating with 2,470 Training Providers with the involvement of 2,240 employers.

About 41,000 jobs have been approved with 16,000 have been placed.