PUTRAJAYA: The National TVET Day 2026 celebration at Dataran Putrajaya attracted 510,151 visitors over three days, marking another milestone in the transformation of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Malaysia.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the turnout reflected growing confidence in TVET as a key pathway for talent development and future careers.
The National TVET Council (MTVET) chairman said the launch of TVET 2.0 by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during the celebration marked a major step forward in developing a training system that is more responsive, flexible and aligned with industry needs.
"TVET 2.0 is not merely a policy enhancement but a commitment to ensure Malaysia has a workforce capable of mastering emerging technologies, meeting future industry demands and competing globally," he said in a statement today.
Ahmad Zahid also welcomed the Prime Minister's announcement that the government is prepared to allocate up to RM50mil from the High-Impact Programme Fund under the Skills Development Fund Corporation (PTPK) to support the initial implementation of TVET 2.0.
"This will accelerate efforts to produce more highly skilled workers who are vital to the nation's economic growth," he said.
He said another key achievement was the organisation of the 3rd Malaysia-China International Industry-Education Cooperation Forum and the 5th Malaysia-China Vocational Education Fair 2026 (MCIEF 2026).
Under the Malaysia-China strategic partnership, 1,000 scholarships worth nearly RM18mil, 2,000 international training opportunities valued at more than RM10mil and TVET training equipment worth almost RM2mil were announced for students, graduates and educators.
Ahmad Zahid said TVET performance continued to improve, with the graduate employability rate rising to 95.9 per cent in 2025 from 92.5 per cent in 2022.
"More encouragingly, TVET institutions under the Rural and Regional Development Ministry recorded an employability rate of 98.9% per cent, while institutions under the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) achieved 100%," he said.
He said the achievement demonstrated that TVET is no longer an alternative pathway but has become a key national agenda in human capital development.
"This success reflects industry confidence, public support and international recognition of Malaysia's efforts to strengthen its TVET ecosystem," he said.
Ahmad Zahid said the success of National TVET Day 2026 would serve as a catalyst for a broader and more impactful implementation of TVET 2.0.
"The future economy will be driven by a highly skilled workforce, emerging technologies and a culture of innovation. Therefore, TVET must continue to be strengthened as the primary platform for producing competent and competitive talent capable of taking Malaysia to greater heights," he said.
Held under the theme "TVET: The Preferred Career Choice", the celebration brought together stakeholders from government, education, industry and the wider community.
A total of 117 TVET institutions and industry players participated in the TVET Industry Exhibition and Collaboration Hub, while 30 institutions from China took part in the China TVET Institutions Exhibition.
In addition, 28 employers joined the TVET Career Carnival and 39 entrepreneurs showcased their achievements and potential through the TVET Entrepreneur Hub. - Bernama
