Seated, Richard (seventh left), Chin (fifth left), Lee (seventh right), Roh (fifth right) and others with the students who completed the modules at JTM-Samsung Tech Academy.
KOTA KINABALU: In support of the Malaysian Government’s aim of producing more technical talent by year 2020, the Manpower Department (JTM) under the auspices of the Ministry of Human Resources and Samsung Malaysia Electronics (SME) Sdn Bhd yesterday launched the first JTM-Samsung Tech Academy in East Malaysia to provide specialized technical training courses on smart televisions (TVs) and smartphones.
Institut Latihan Perindustrian (ILP) Kota Kinabalu was earmarked to house the JTM-Samsung Tech Academy to leverage on the growing number of students here.
Minister of Human Resources Datuk Seri Richard Riot Anak Jaem said the academy at ILP Kota Kinabalu has set a target to train 330 students annually, compared the target of 120 at the first JTM-Samsung Tech Academy at ILP Kuala Lumpur.
He said the government aimed to boost the percentage of skilled workforce from the current 25 percent to 35 percent by 2020 under the Eleventh Malaysia Plan (11MP) to ensure our country would become a developed and high-income economy in the next five years.
“Today, the collaboration between Samsung Malaysia and JTM is one of the steps or initiatives taken by the government to propel us towards the goal of achieving 35 percent of skilled workforce by year 2020.”
Richard said this when officiating at the launch of the JTM-Samsung Tech Academy at ILP Kota Kinabalu, and witnessing the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) outlining the details of collaboration between JTM and Samsung Malaysia in the provision of training courses.
He later presented the Certificates of Achievement to first batch of 32 students who completed the course at the academy in ILP Kota Kinabalu on August 28.
The JTM-Samsung Tech Academy course modules comprise of a month-long training that will be conducted as part of the overall Certificate in Electronics Industry programme at ILP.
It will provide students with 100 hours of specialized vocational training in both technical theory and hands-on exposure on two Samsung product categories, namely, smart TVs and smartphones.
The modules on Diagnosis and Repair of smart TVs and smartphones are intended to be continually refreshed, to remain relevant to the current Samsung products.
Modelled after the train-the–trainer concept, Samsung technical experts trained the teaching professionals of ILP, who will in turn guide the future technicians in their professional growth and get them ready for the industry.
Upon completion of their overall vocational education, including the modules offered at JTM-Samsung Tech Academy, students will graduate with a Sijil Kemahiran Malaysia (SKM) 3 Certification.
Richard believed that the training and experience would enhance the students’ employability, while at the same time, he hoped Samsung would employ the trained graduates.
“As the Minister of Human Resources Malaysia, I am very proud and happy (about the collaboration) because it is a household name not only in Malaysia but also the world,” he said.
In fact, Richard said, Forbes has named Samsung as number seven of The World’s Most Valuable Brands 2015, with a brand value of USD37.9 billion.
“Statistics show that Samsung retained its number one leadership in the worldwide smartphone market with 21.4 per cent share in the second quarter of 2015.”
The JTM-Samsung Tech Academy at ILP Kota Kinabalu is the second one of its kind, following the launch of the pilot TECH Academy at ILP Kuala Lumpur on September 23 last year. To date, as many as 110 students have benefited from four courses at ILP Kuala Lumpur.
Richard continued to say that 40 ILP staff have been trained under the training of trainers programme by Samsung.
As to the reason the ILPs were chosen by Samsung to establish the academy, Richard said, the industrial training institutes have successfully produced many graduates.
“There is a former student of ILP who is earning an average income of RM15,000 a month. This is a success story,” he said, adding that he hoped to see another JTM-Samsung Tech Academy to be set up in Malaysia.
Adding on to what Richard has said, JTM director general, Chin Phaik Yoong, said, the MoU stipulated that the training and assets such as smartphones and smart TVs would be provided by Samsung, while JTM would strive to achieve the targeted number of trainees.
Under the MoU, she said, JTM could also utilize the facilities provided by Samsung to train industrial workers.
Earlier, she said that JTM strived to form partnerships and strategic alliances both internally and externally.
“There is a need to work together with the private sector and the industry to accomplish our goals. Our objective is to produce graduates who are able to find employment upon graduation with a wage that commensurate with their qualification.”
Chin said, the academy would allow both parties to capitalize on their respective strength, expertise, experiences, technologies and resources to pursue common goals and mutual benefits.
“The setting up of the JTM-Samsung Tech Academy at ILP Kota Kinabalu through the successful implementation of this MoU will bring the technology, know-how, skills and, we hope, job opportunities to our students.”
Samsung Tech Academy is part of the Samsung Global Corporate Citizenship initiative in the core area of employment and community that seeks to provide upskilling of vocational students to enhance marketability and garner better employment opportunities.
As of December 2014, 116 Samsung Tech Academies have been in operation across the globe. Since its initiation in 2011, the initiative has benefited approximately 15,779 youths.
Also present were the Deputy Minister of Human Resources, Dato’ Sri Haji Ismail Haji Abd Muttalib, Secretary General of the Ministry of Human Resources, Datuk Seri Haji Saripuddin Haji Kasim, political secretary to the Minister of Human Resources, Major (R) Peter Anak Runin, Samsung Malaysia Electronics Sdn Bhd president, Lee Sang Hoon, and Samsung Malaysia Electronics Sdn Bhd corporate affairs director, Dato’ Roh Jae Yeol.