Speech by Chief Minister of Penang GDVT Engagement with the Industry 17 June 2016 PSDC ,Penang
On the 18th of September last year, the State Government signed a RM2 million – Penang State Government sponsorship agreement with the Penang Skills and Development Centre (PSDC), to finance the German Dual Vocational Training (GDVT) programme in Penang.
Today, I am very pleased to announce that the programme has been successfully embraced by the manufacturing industry. The manufacturing industry’s participation is crucial if we are to succeed in deepening the talent pool for middle managers. German Vocational Training (GDVT) is the best in the world and we are proud to be able to bring it to Penang.
While many businesses in Penang are primarily export focused, many Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) are not. However, SMEs are part of the ecosystem that makes Penang such a powerful industrial cluster. So, in order to remain competitive, businesses have to continue to invest in capital and in talent. Therefore, I am proud to say that the State Government’s sponsorship is open to all companies in Penang, irrespective of whether it is a SME or an MNC. However, only Malaysian students will qualify for the sponsorship and preference will be given to Penangites.
Ladies and gentlemen
Through our website PENANGGDVT.COM, those who are interested can apply online for the programme, and their CVs and personal data will be forwarded to the participating companies. With this, we want to ensure, that the GDVT partner companies have direct access to highly talented trainees in Malaysia that they require.
I am proud to say, that less than a year after signing the sponsorship agreement, we have over 120 students enrolled in current and future batches for our Mechatronics programme. I am also pleased that the success has proven the need for a second programme, which is currently in its approval stages at a federal level. The programme “Precision Machining” is likely to start in September this year.
Ladies and gentlemen.
The German Dual Vocational Training programme in Penang is truly unique within the Malaysian educational system. While being hired by the training company as a regular staff with a monthly salary at the minimum wage of RM1000, the students get trained concurrently at the training institution to enhance their theoretical knowledge. In other words, these fortunate students are paid to study – the tuition fees paid by the State Government and the GDVT companies. In practice, this means that trainees will benefit greatly from the practical exposure primarily from the training and experiences of their senior colleagues, applying their knowledge immediately. As specialists in their own field, they will be able to attract higher pay.
Once again I would like to repeat my encouragement to our local SMEs in becoming a vocational training company along with MNCs.
Ladies and Gentlemen.
Penang’s unemployment rate is one of the lowest in Malaysia at 1.5% as at 2014, well below the natural rate of unemployment of 4%. This shows that the labour market in Penang has been very competitive.
I would now like to encourage you here today to share your thoughts and concerns regarding the GDVT programme.
Again, I would like to thank the PSDC very much for organizing this forum here today and all participating companies. Please be assured, that the GDVT programme has the State Government’s full support. Let us work together with the Penang State Government and Multi National Corporations (MNCs) together with SMEs as “GDVT corporations” to make our labour force competitive so that Penang remains the premier location to invest, learn, live, work and play. The mere association with being ‘Trained in Penang’ will brand Penang and open up many opportunities.
Thank you.
—-Mandarin Version —-
槟州首席部长于2016年6月17日 在槟州技术与发展中心向工业界推荐德国技职双元制发表声明，重点如下：
去年9月18日， 州政府与槟州技术及发展签署200万令吉的合约，资助在槟城的德国技职双元制。
这项活动成功地获得制造业者的接纳。制造业者的参与是非常重要的，好让我们可以深入栽培中层经理的人才。德国技职双元制是全世界最好的培训制度，我们很光荣能够带到槟城。
槟城的商业以出口为主，很多中小型企业却不是。但是，中小型企业是生态的一部分，他们让槟城成为强大的工业群组。因此，若要保持竞争力，商家必须继续投资在资本及人才。州政府的赞助费是公开给全槟的公司，不管是中小型企业还是跨国企业。但是，只有马来西亚学生有资格申请赞助，我们将优先考虑槟城人。
有兴趣申请者可以通过我们的网站PENANGGDVT.COM 申请，我们将把他们的简历或个人资料转交给参与的公司。我们要确保德国技职双元制的伙伴公司可以直接获取能干的实习生的资料。
过去一年来，我们共有120名学生报名目前及未来的机电课程。这项成功证明我们需要第二次课程，目前正等待联邦政府的批准。有关课程精确机器将在今年9月开跑。
德国技职双元制在我国教育制度内是独特的。学生能够以1000令吉的最低薪金受聘于一家公司为全职员工，他也同时在培训中心接受培训，加强他们的理论知识。换句话说，这些幸运的学生其学费是由州政府与德国技职双元制伙伴公司支付的。实际上，这意味着实习生能够从在培训中从前辈身上获得实践经验、并马上运用他们的知识。他们身为相关行业的专业技术人员，更可以获得更高的薪金。
我也在此鼓励本地的中小型企业成为技职培训公司。
2014年槟城的失业率是全马最低仅1.5%，比一般失业率4%还低。这说明槟城的就业市场还是相当竞争的。