Khazanah Allocates RM200 Mln To Train 11,000 Young Malaysians Through K-Youth

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 10 (Bernama) -- Khazanah Nasional Bhd has allocated RM200 million to Khazanah Youth Development Programme (K-Youth) this year to train and develop 11,000 young Malaysians in key sectors, including semiconductors.

According to Khazanah, this allocation aimed at enhancing youth employability by equipping them with the skills essential for today's job market and transitioning graduate students into industry-ready professionals.

The K-Youth Programme, launched in 2023, has achieved remarkable results, with 83 per cent of the 8,381 participants successfully securing employment in key industries targeted by the programme in Malaysia.

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Khazanah managing director Datuk Amirul Feisal Wan Zahir said in a statement today that investing in human capital development is crucial to equipping Malaysian youths with relevant skills in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR4.0).

"Khazanah aims to create a sustainable talent pipeline through upskilling and reskilling initiatives in response to the rapid acceleration of technological innovation.

"Khazanah is committed to advancing the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector, ensuring that skilled talent can be future-ready and contribute positively to Malaysia's development goals," he said.

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Nurul Amanina Naushad, a K-Youth participant from Penang, said the programme provided an opportunity to build skills and enhance job readiness.

"Unlike other programmes that can be more theory-based, K-Youth offers the opportunity to work with real clients to promote their businesses using the skills I’ve learned.

“The experience on real projects was important, as it allows you to apply what was learned in a practical setting," she said.

Another participant Deepanraj Ravi Chandran also praised K-Youth for helping him build technical skills and confidence through hands-on training and real-world projects.

“Mentorship and feedback were invaluable in my growth, and the networking opportunities connected me with professionals and peers, ultimately helping me secure a full-time role as a full-stack developer," he added.

In addition to K-Youth, Khazanah is also implementing the 42 Malaysia (42MY) initiative in collaboration with the Sunway Education Group to train 10,000 skilled technology professionals.

42MY offers free coding education to individuals aged 18 and above, regardless of their educational or socioeconomic background. Its innovative peer-to-peer learning model fosters collaboration and problem-solving, with a curriculum focused on critical thinking, adaptability, and hands-on experience. 

Ng Jun Han, a participant from 42 Kuala Lumpur (42KL), said the learning environment rewards those who are sceptical, courageous to fail projects and to try again.

"Innovation requires eliminating the wrong paths, and through failure, the wrong paths are discovered. That is what being in 42KL had shaped me to believe.

“Prior to joining, I had low expectations and was just hoping to get a job out of it. Not only did I get what I wanted from the start, I also fell in love with the coding and learning in general,” Ng said.

Adya Zahila Hasman, another 42KL participant and a recipient of Yayasan Hasanah’s grant said the curriculum is designed to give you hands-on exposure to essential tech skills from various pillars of the tech industry.

-- BERNAMA