Selangor Strengthens TVET To Meet High-value Sector Needs, Retain Industrial Lead

By Farhana Abd Kadir

SHAH ALAM, Dec 7 (Bernama) -- Selangor continues to strengthen its Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programmes to meet the rising demand for skilled workers in high-value sectors, such as automation, artificial intelligence (AI), biotechnology and aerospace.

The move is seen as a strategic effort to accelerate the growth of a technology-driven economy, ensuring Selangor remains the country’s leading industrial hub.

Politeknik Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah (PSA) deputy academic director, Dr Ahmad Aftas Azman, said that the continued enhancement of TVET programmes in line with industry demands is expected to create more high-skilled job opportunities over the next five to 10 years.

He said with a curriculum designed to match current industry requirements, students will not only be exposed to elements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR4.0), but will also acquire competencies which meet global market expectations.

“Politeknik Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah is one of Selangor’s key TVET institutions, supporting the state government’s aspiration to broaden technical education, and produce highly skilled workers for high-value sectors,” he said.

“With an inclusive academic framework tailored to industry needs, PSA offers high-quality TVET programmes which enable graduates to seamlessly enter the high-tech industrial workforce, particularly within Selangor’s rapidly developing industrial clusters,” he told Bernama.

He added that such inclusive programmes would further reinforce Selangor’s position as a high-value technological and economic hub, while enhancing graduates’ skills and overall marketability.

He said the initiative would also have a direct impact on expanding the skilled workforce, and nurturing future talent.

Meanwhile, the polytechnic’s senior lecturer for the Diploma in Mechanical Engineering (Industrial Packaging) programme, Somchai Enoi, said that the breadth of career pathways available through TVET has enabled many young people to break into the high-technology industry.

“Based on my teaching experience, the most significant change is the increase in confidence, technical skills and marketability among Selangor’s youth - to the extent that many have successfully entered specialised industries, such as industrial packaging, medical electronics and high-tech manufacturing, all of which are rapidly growing sectors in the state.

“TVET graduates not only meet the demand for skilled workers, but also serve as problem-solvers who help ensure the smooth and efficient operation of industries,” Somchai said.

Recently, Invest Selangor Berhad chief executive officer Datuk Hasan Azhari Idris reportedly said that Selangor is expanding its TVET programmes to cater to the needs of high-value sectors, such as AI, automation, biotechnology and aerospace.

He said that the strategy is in line with the federal government’s efforts to drive the Central Region Initiative, which serves as a catalyst for the country’s new phase of economic growth.

The Selangor government has also introduced the Selangor Career Outreach (SCOUT) programme, to ensure a steady supply of skilled workers remains available.

With the strengthening of TVET, initiatives such as SCOUT, and strategic collaborations with industry players, Selangor is expected to continue reinforcing its position as Malaysia’s leading high-value technology and economic hub.

-- BERNAMA