Proud moment: Dr Wee (standing, third left) and guests witnessing the MOU signing between several industry leaders and VTAR Institute to provide industry training and job placement for students. They are (seated, from left) SME Association of Malaysia secretary-general Chin Chee Seong, Peng, Tan, VTAR board of directors chairman Soon Mon Huay, Soh and FMM CEO Datuk Dr Yeoh Oon Tean. — KAMARUL ARIFFIN/The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: Students seeking vocational training should consider digitalisation for manufacturing automation, in line with the country’s progress towards the Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR4.0).
Offered by the VTAR Institute, the accredited two-year Diploma in Digitalisation (Manufacturing Automation) programme aims at producing skilled workers to boost the realisation of IR4.0 among manufacturing companies.
VTAR Institute chief executive officer Tan Cheng Liang said the new programme is another milestone for the vocational college, as it is the first in Malaysia to offer such a course.
“The course consists of 16 modules, a final-year project, and a six-month internship in the manufacturing industry.
“It can be done online, and it is open to all Malaysians who have SPM or UEC.
“They need to have a credit or pass in Mathematics and English, which are important to aid their learning,” she said at the launch of the programme at the institute in Setapak here yesterday.
During the ceremony, VTAR Institute also inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) and SME Association of Malaysia (SME Malaysia) to give them priority when recruiting students for internships and graduates for job placements.
The signing was witnessed by MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong and other guests of honour.
Tan called on other industry leaders who feel that the course is useful to contact the institute for more vocational-industry collaborations.
“We will also work on upskilling manufacturing workers so that they can obtain this diploma through part-time and online learning.”
She said that VTAR Institute would also rope in teaching staffers from Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) and Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology (TAR UMT) to produce more talent.
“There are only 25 places offered for each batch, and the industries say that is not enough. That’s why we need more teaching staff members to train more skilled talent,” she said, adding that the college would also work with educationist group Dong Zong to promote the course.
FMM president Tan Sri Soh Thian Lai said the federation is always in favour of linking up with vocational training institutions.
“There can only be 25 graduates per batch, and before the students can even complete their courses, I’m sure industries would have acquired them because there are only so few of them.
“We need a more skilled workforce,” he said.
Soh noted that brain drain is a dire situation in Malaysia, where thousands of local talents have chosen to go overseas.
“I hope these trained youths will stay and contribute to the country,” he said.
Many people tend to have a negative perception, but he said “skills can always command a better salary range”.
“With high skills, there will be better pay,” he said.
SME Malaysia deputy president Datin Dorph Peng Wen Yin said the pandemic had accelerated demands for IR4.0 implementation, hence increasing the need for digital talents in the entire industry.
“The digital transformation also pushes the demands for talents with digital skills and knowledge to a new height.
“There is an urgent need to upskill and reskill the existing labour pool and attract future talents to work for the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia,” she said.
Peng noted that the MOU was significant for both parties to jointly support industry-vocational education engagement and collaborations.
“We look forward to this collaboration towards IR4.0 talent development and producing more competent human capital to drive SME digital transformation.”
The course’s inaugural intake for September has started, and those interested can go to www.vtar.edu.my or contact 03-4149 8211 or 010-225 7831/7832 for more information.
