Time to upskill and reskill

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PETALING JAYA: Malaysians can look forward to “going back to school” during the National Training Week (NTW) 2023, which aims to offer 5,000 free courses.

From taekwondo, web design and mobile phone repair to digital marketing and cupcake decorating for children, May 22 to May 28 will be a week dedicated to free learning and development covering a wide range of topics and skills for all age groups.

Human Resource Development Corporation (HRD Corp) chief executive Datuk Shahul Dawood said NTW 2023 will open up opportunities for all Malaysians, regardless of age and employment status, to equip themselves with skills and knowledge for free.

“The objective is to open up opportunities for people who have never had training before. No one should be deprived of skills development, everybody should be given opportunities,” he said.

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He said the courses are not confined to formal learning and high-technology subjects as courses such as childcare, elderly care, automotive skills, baking and even air-conditioning repair can be offered.

“You can do it at home, at the mosque or surau, it’s not only for urban Malaysians. We are targeting all kinds of audiences such as the Orang Asli, those who are differently-abled and senior citizens,” he said.

The courses are offered via remote learning, physical classes, hybrid learning as well as self-paced e-learning, thus offering participants freedom on how they want to embrace learning and development.

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He also said that all training offered during the NTW by any organisation or individual are on an opt-in or voluntary basis without any government funding.

Beyond training, partners and collaborators will also offer logistics support, provide training venues and conduct their own satellite events and activities for free.

“This is a joint national effort and we are happy to welcome all partners to join us and contribute their time and resources accordingly,” he said.

Shahul added that inculcating a culture of lifelong learning among the people is the inspiration behind the NTW 2023 while the programme also seeks to address issues such as job mismatch in the local workforce and unemployment as well as improve Malaysia’s competitiveness.

He touched on Malaysia being ranked 25th out of 141 countries in human capital development according to the World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Report and said the NTW can help improve the country’s standing by addressing this skills gap.

Malaysia needs a competitive workforce to continue its status as a premier destination for quality foreign direct investment but the country is facing a brain drain and its workforce, especially undergraduates, are burdened by the dilemma of skills mismatch.

The Graduate Statistic Report 2021 by the Statistics Department stated that the rate of graduate mismatch constituted 33.9% or 1.55 million graduates nationwide.“There is a huge number of employees in positions that are not matched with their education.

“Our undergraduates are employed in semi-skilled and low-skilled occupations instead of engaging in value-added activities that they studied for,” he said.

Shahul said as Malaysia has a well-structured education system producing high quality graduates every year, it will be a waste if the country is unable to harness their knowledge and skills effectively.

“Therefore, we hope NTW 2023 will usher in an era in which training programmes and learning opportunities become synonymous with the growth of a company and personal development of an individual,” he said.

Shahul added that as globalisation and digitisation become the prevalent trend, competition to attract foreign direct investments (FDIs) will become more intense.

“The only way Malaysia can stay ahead of its peers is to ensure we are able to offer a highly-skilled workforce,” he said.

He said every Malaysian should use every opportunity offered to help the country become a knowledge-based economy and a high-skills nation.

“Don’t just say we want to become a developed nation such as Germany or Japan, it must go beyond lip service.

“It is a Malaysian effort. Everyone should come forward to support NTW 2023. HRD Corp is the driver but it cannot be us alone. Every Malaysian must take the responsibility,” he said.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is expected to launch the official event on May 22.

Shahul said there is also a view to make NTW an annual event in Malaysia.

Other countries that have an annual skills week or skills programme include Australia, Canada, Singapore, the United States and the United Kingdom.

To register as a participant in the NTW 2023, visit the official portal at www.nationaltrainingweek.gov.my.

Once registered, participants can browse through the different courses available in the portal and enrol via the website.