Malaysia on track to achieve 33 pct skilled labour by 2015

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WITH skilled labour accounting for 28 per cent of the workforce, Malaysia is on track to achieve the 33 per cent target by 2015 as outlined in the 10th Malaysia Plan, said Deputy Human Resource Minister Datuk Ismail Abd Muttalib.

He said skilled labour accounted for 3.4 million of the 13.7 million workforce in the third quarter of 2013 based on a survey conducted by the Statistics Department.

Skilled labour is categorised as those having a diploma and above, and holding a management, being a professional or a technician, he added.

“The government will continue to improve the quality of skills training as announced by the prime minister in the 2014 Budget,” he said when replying to a question from Senator Raja Ropiaah Raja Abdullah at the Dewan Negara yesterday.

Ismail said this included implementing a two-year single tier Malaysian Skills Certificate level 1 to 3 courses at industrial training institutes and upgrade its buildings and equipment at the cost of RM178 million.

He said the government would also provide loans for skills training courses totalling RM330 million under the Skills Development Fund Corporation to school leavers with Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia.

“Technical and vocational courses are also provided 379 public training institutes, 350 private training institutes and 32 training institutes under the ministry for school leavers,” he said. — Bernama