KUALA LUMPUR (July 17): Four industry leaders today inked a certificate of collaboration (CoC) with the Ministry of Education to upgrade technical and vocational education and training (TVET).

The four collaborating companies are Berjaya Corporation Bhd, Tropicana Corporation Bhd, Naza Group and Top Glove Corporation Bhd.

The collaboration would emphasise the provision of training, facilities, workshops, career opportunities and networks for TVET students.

Berjaya Corp chief executive officer Datuk Seri Tan Yeong Ching said the group views the collaboration as a smart partnership that would provide a platform to the students of various institutions to obtain real work experience and career opportunities.

“Expanding smart partnerships such as through this collaboration should help to ensure the sharing of industry knowledge and practices, facilities and technology, with the intention to upscale and innovate technical and vocational students,” he said in his welcoming remarks at the CoC signing ceremony here today.

Meanwhile, Minister of Education, Dr Maszlee Malik, said TVET is important in alleviating the mismatch in supply and demand of skills, future-proofing of students towards the Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR4.0) and increasing graduate employability.

“However, greater national efforts are needed to increase TVET enrolment and accelerate the upskilling of local talent, which calls for stronger collaborations and partnerships with industry leaders.

“This CoC represents a large step that the public and private sectors are undertaking to take TVET to the next level. The ministry is committed to establishing many more ground-breaking partnerships, not just for TVET, but also to improve the overall education ecosystem of the country,” he said in his opening address.

Maszlee said he is also in talks with key companies across all economic sectors, noting that four oil and gas companies from Johor and Perak, as well as several financial and banking institutions have committed to working with the ministry. — Bernama