By WU VUIDE
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah’s technical and vocational education training (TVET) institutions must align programmes with current industry needs, said Sabah Education, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk James Ratib.
He said training providers must continuously adapt programme offerings in line with technological developments and labour market demands.
“This is crucial as Sabah is experiencing rapid industrial growth and investment, which requires a skilled workforce in various high-technology fields,” he said.
He said this during the 36th convocation ceremony of the Institute of Technical and Commercial Training (ILTP) under the Sabah Human Resource Development Department (JPSM) at a hotel here.
He stressed that training institutions must engage continuously with industry players, including Petronas, the Energy Commission of Sabah (ECoS), as well as local and international investors, to identify skills requirements before designing new courses.
He said such an approach would reduce dependence on foreign labour while creating more job opportunities for local youth, particularly in the energy, manufacturing and heavy industry sectors.
“The effectiveness of TVET institutions should not be measured solely by the number of graduates produced, but also by the employability rate of graduates who secure jobs relevant to their skills,” he said.
He added that training institutions should strengthen monitoring of graduate employability and expand collaboration with industry agencies and companies to help graduates secure employment or venture into entrepreneurship.
A total of 146 graduates from various technical and commercial programmes received their certificates during the convocation.
Also present were Assistant Education, Science and Technology Minister Jordan Jude Ellron, Permanent Secretary Datuk Hassan Mahali, and JPSM director Dr Kamsiah Ibrahim.
James (second, left), presenting a certificate to a graduate.
