As we approach 2020, it has become important to equip the future generation with the necessary skill set to meet the onset of the Fourth Industrial Age. Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) which emphasises the integration of new information with existing knowledge are the necessary skill sets that will help fill the gap between the output of educational institutions and the human resource needs of states and industries. The emergence of aerospace and biotechnology industries and the growing demand for SMEs in Malaysia will create a paradigm shift where employers will care less and less which university you went to, or even if you went to university.
Why IKTISASS
To help its citizens keep abreast with these advancements, the Selangor government initiated a flagship program known as Smart Selangor Technical and Professional Skills Initiative or Inisiatif Kemahiran Teknikal dan Iktisas Smart Selangor (IKTISASS) with an allocation of RM 52 million. Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali in his speech at the launch of IKTISASS stressed the importance of moving towards a knowledge-based economy. “It is no longer a question about choice but one of utmost necessity. With technological advancement moving at such a rapid pace as we face the Fourth Industrial Revolution, it is no exaggeration to say that to remain static is to move backwards.”
IKTISASS aims to provide opportunities for youth to pursue TVET training and to enhance the human resource value chain in the country. In 2018, the Selangor government will fund 2,000 youths from Selangor under the IKTISASS with the support of industry experts like Selangor Human Resource Development Center (SHRDC), Strand Aerospace Malaysia and INPENS to fulfil Selangor’s demand for high impact manufacturing.
High Impact Manufacturing
The collaboration between IKTISASS and Strand Aerospace Malaysia ensures that Selangor will have the cutting edge in technological advancements to lead the way in the knowledge economy by embarking on Smart Manufacturing Practices. Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali believes that the TVET skills acquired by these youths under IKTISASS will create a highly skilled labour force which will propel Selangor up the Global Competitive Index.
According to Dr Rahmat Shazi, Director of Strand Aerospace Malaysia, his company’s participation in IKTISASS will not only, “Develop and grow the aerospace industry in Selangor but will provide an avenue for national social mobility with Selangor at the forefront where high value industries can be established which will enable Selangor to position itself as an attractive investment destination for IR4.0-enabled businesses.” The recent establishment of the Aerospace Council is a testament to Selangor’s commitment to be a leading aerospace hub which will encompass parts of Subang Jaya, Sepang and Serendah.
Demand Driven Talent
Besides Strand Aerospace Malaysia, IKTISASS has collaborated with SHRDC to move Selangor towards high level TVET through cooperation with industry leaders. Mr Izham Zakaria, Manager at SHRDC, believes that, “Technical training programs which focuses on competencies and career readiness contributes to the development of industry based curriculum, that assists local Selangor companies migrate towards smart manufacturing and adapt the applications of Smart Factories, aligned with the 4th industrial revolution.”
With the concept of Demand Driven Talent as the guiding principle, IKTISASS hopes that its collaboration with SHRDC will shake-up the industrial sector through the development of artificial intelligence via Big Data Analytic applications and Cloud Computing.
Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali is convinced that these developments will put Selangor’s industrial sector on par with developed nations such as Europe and Japan. Since 2015, the Youth Enhancement Strategy (YES) Selangor program has yielded a competent generation in technical and vocational fields to meet industry needs. Through IKTISASS programs with SHRDC, YES students were exposed to smart manufacturing systems in cooperation with Swiss Smart Factory in Biel, Switzerland. In the future, SHRDC will explore the possibility of introducing postgraduate programs in technical apprenticeship with Selangor Business School.
Technical Skills Program
The Selangor government believes that initiatives to improve TVET through technical apprenticeship programs will create a talent pool of skilled knowledge workers that will attract high technological-based foreign investments to operate in Selangor. To achieve this goal, IKTISASS will assist INPENS in infrastructure and module development with an allocation of RM 4.4 million to produce 900 graduates that will meet industry needs.
Mr Ahmad Zabri bin Mohd Yaman, Chief Executive Officer of INPENS is confident that, “INPENS is able to offer training covering industries within the scope of fundamental and practical skills like automation, air conditioning, electronic and computer systems. IKTISASS’s collaboration with INPENS can be seen as an integrated approach involving STEM, creative innovation and R & D that have been identified with potential to expand industries related to e-commerce, aerospace, biotechnology and halal-based industry.”
With IKTISASS at the forefront of Selangor’s Industrial Revolution, Selangor is poised to become the regional smart state that it has always aspired to be.
