Speech by Y.A.B. Lim Guan Eng, Penang Chief Minister on Oct 8, 2014 Vocational Skills Employment Program MOU signing between FTC, PSC and SAMENTA (e/c)

A good afternoon to everyone present today. It gives me great pleasure to witness the signing of the MOU between FTC, PSC and SAMENTA on the Vocational Skills Employment Program or VSEP.

The Penang state government’s vision is to transform Penang into an international and intelligent city while maintaining its strong heritage and preferred tourist location in Malaysia. Over the last 40 years, we have seen Penang transforming itself into the silicon island of the east because of its established high tech industries.

The Penang State Government has worked very hard to develop Penang into the prime location it is today for leisure as well as business. The one key factor driving our growth is our people. It is often said that people are our greatest assets. In Penang, we firmly believe in that!

It is very important that we ensure that all individuals in our society have the opportunity to develop their capabilities and contribute to the best of the abilities to our beloved state and country.

Today, students and parents are focused on achieving good academic results. This is good.

However, we must also not neglect the students who are vocationally inclined, those who have good hands-on skills but don’t do so well academically for a variety of reasons.

The Penang State Government believes that the vocationally inclined students have an important role to play in the industrial development of our state and country.

Thus, I am very happy today to be here to witness the signing of this program – Vocational Skills Employment Program or VSEP.

This program will give many benefits to all parties:

To the vocationally inclined students who now have a technical career in front of them with internationally recognized City & Guilds certification

To the parents of these students, who do not have to worry about their child’s education

To the SMEs, who now can train and retain good technical talent in their company

It is recognized that in Germany, the vocational education system is among the best in the world. Germans see these vocationally inclined students as potential assets who might one day shine if they’re matched with the right vocation. And it has a system in place—a partnership of employers and unions with government—to do the matching and provide the necessary training.

The VSEP program that you see today has elements of Germany’s vocational education system, and I am confident that over time, this VSEP program will make our industries, and SMEs in particular, more competitive and successful.

In closing, I would like to congratulate FTC, SAMENTA and PSC for working together to bring this valuable VSEP program to our community and industries. I wish them all the best and am looking to this program expanding to more students and companies in the future.

Thank you.

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槟城州首席部长林冠英于2014年10月8日在佛乐科技中心 、槟州科学理事会及马来西亚中小型企业协会签署的技职招聘计划备忘录之讲词

各位早安,很荣幸见证佛乐科技中心(FTC)、槟州科学理事会(PSC)及马来西亚中小型企业协会(SAMENTA)之间签署技职招聘计划备忘录(VSEP)。

我们不能忽略技术学校源流的学生,他们虽然基于各种原因无法进入大专,但是却拥有纯熟的工艺技术。

槟州政府相信技术学校源流的学生在我们槟州及国家的工业发展扮演着重要的角色。

因此,我为今天能见证技职招聘计划备忘录的签署感到非常高兴。

这项计划将让各造受益:

对技术学校源流的学生来说,眼前将拥有的技术工作,乃是受到国际上极负盛名的*英国城市专业学会(City & Guilds)认证。
对这群学生的家长来说,他们不必再担心其孩子的教育。
对中小型工业来说,他们如今可以训练及留聘这些良好的技术专才在其公司旗下。

众所公认,德国拥有全世界其中一个最棒的技职教育系统。德国人将技术学校源流的学生视为璞玉,只要有一天学生配到好的技术工作,将会发光成为
瑰宝。当雇主、工会及政府三方携手合作,将更有系统地为这群学生配对工作及提供必要的培训。

这项技职招聘计划拥有德国技职教育系统的元素。我有信心假以时日,技职招聘计划将让我们的工业领域,特别是中小型工业,更具竞争力更成功。
注释:*英国城市专业学会(City & Guilds)是英国最负盛名丶最大的职业资格颁证机构,也是现今世界上规模最庞大的国际认证及资格颁授机构。