SEGAMAT: The Defence Ministry has allocated RM10mil this year for the implementation of its Work-Based Learning programme, benefiting about 1,300 Malaysian Armed Forces personnel approaching retirement.
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the allocation for the intervention programme forms part of the ministry's efforts to safeguard the welfare and livelihood of military veterans.
He said the programme enables the experience and expertise acquired by personnel throughout their service in the armed forces to be formally assessed and recognised in collaboration with higher education institutions.
Under the programme, personnel can be awarded diplomas aligned with their areas of expertise, including culinary arts, hospitality, sports coaching and management, without having to sit for formal examinations.
"Most personnel join the military with only the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) qualification. When they retire at the age of 41 or 42, they enter the job market with the same qualifications, making it difficult for them to compete for employment opportunities.
"Through the WBL programme, they leave service with at least a diploma, with the RM6,500 assessment cost for each individual fully borne by the government," he told a press conference after a working visit to the 4th Royal Artillery Regiment at Segamat Camp here on Sunday (June 14).
Meanwhile, Mohamed Khaled said the ministry has also revamped the transition training programme conducted by the Armed Forces Veterans Affairs Corporation by aligning it more closely with industry requirements.
He said the move is intended to ensure that personnel completing the six-month transition training programme can be directly absorbed into suitable employment sectors without having to search for jobs on their own, while earning a dignified income. – Bernama
