Call For POLYCC To Be More Practical To Meet Real Industry Needs

PUTRAJAYA, Aug 19 (Bernama) -- Polytechnics and Community Colleges (POLYCC) need to be more practical by adopting global best practices to meet the real needs of industry and the community.

This was highlighted by Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir at the Polytechnic Industry Advisory Council (MPIP) meeting and dialogue session with the Minister of Higher Education, organised by the Department of Polytechnic and Community College Education (JPPKK) here today.

In a statement, the JPPKK said the meeting served as a strategic platform for the department and industry to ensure that academic programmes, skills training and talent development of POLYCC graduates remained relevant.

“It is in line with the needs of the current job market and the aspirations of Malaysia MADANI, which emphasises the development of competitive, inclusive and value-based human capital,” it said.

The meeting brought together nine major industry clusters, namely manufacturing, logistics; agriculture; digitalisation; petrochemical engineering; electrical and electronics; tourism and hospitality; environment; social and corporate governance; and accreditation bodies.

In line with this year’s MPIP theme, ‘POLYCC-Industri: Menjana Tenaga Kerja Pintar untuk Ekonomi MADANI’, the JPPKK said the programme was organised to reflect the Ministry of Higher Education’s main focus this year, namely preparing the best talents in the country.

“Various matters were raised during the dialogue session, including issues and challenges in graduate marketability and initiatives to strengthen cooperation between JPPKK and MPIP through the Industry Resolution: MPIP 2025,” the statement said.

At the same event, former MPIP chairman Tan Sri Sufri Mohamad Zain was recognised as the POLYCC 2024 Work-Based Learning (WBL) Icon, while UEM Edgenta Berhad and Global Rail Sdn Bhd received the Outstanding Industry Mentorship award.

Also held was the presentation of letters of appointment to three MPIP members, as well as the launch of two books highlighting the success stories of WBL collaborations between polytechnics and industry partners, including PKT Logistics since 2012.

--BERNAMA