Perak youth urged to embrace TVET jobs or risk losing out to outsiders

New Straits Times

a day ago

KUALA LUMPUR: Young people in Perak have been urged to seize the thousands of job opportunities emerging from the state's rapid industrial development or risk losing them to outsiders and foreign workers.
Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad said the state's heavy investment in industrial zones is part of its goal to position Perak as a national TVET corridor, a key agenda under the Perak Sejahtera 2030 plan to future-proof the economy and secure long-term prosperity.
However, he said these roles require skilled workers, particularly those with Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) certification.
"I want the people of Perak to understand the government's intention. If our own children do not support this aspiration, we will have to offer these job opportunities to outsiders. And if that still is not enough, we cannot avoid hiring foreign workers," he told the New Straits Times during a visit to Balai Berita for the Malaysia Hari Ini programme.
Saarani said the state has intensified awareness campaigns at the district level in collaboration with various agencies, targeting secondary school students, especially those in Form Four and Form Five, to highlight career prospects through TVET.
He said the importance of removing the stigma that TVET is a second-class option, noting that the sector now offers competitive salaries and strong job market demand.
"It is time we dispel the notion that TVET is a second-class certificate. With a TVET qualification, real jobs are waiting," he said.
Citing internal data, Saarani said approximately 94 per cent of TVET graduates secure employment.
As part of the outreach initiative, successful TVET alumni, including chefs, welders, and animation specialists, are being brought into schools to inspire students and show the real-life potential of vocational careers.
He added that all TVET institutions in Perak must also ensure their academic programmes are aligned with the specific needs of local industries.
"That is why we are engaging with industry players and training providers to ensure course offerings are relevant to the job market. We do not want these opportunities to slip away to outsiders simply because locals lack the necessary skills," he said.
"Our goal is to create a prosperous Perak where the people thrive. That prosperity starts with employment — when people have jobs, they have income to spend, and that in turn drives the state's economy."
Previously, the Perak government had outlined its ambition to position the state as a National TVET Corridor, with several mega projects, including the Automotive High-Tech Valley in Tanjung Malim, the Kerian Integrated Green Industrial Park, and the Silver Valley Technology Park, serving as anchor platforms to absorb skilled graduates.
The state had also introduced the TVET 2025 Roadshow Programme aimed at correcting misconceptions about vocational education and promoting it as a primary pathway to careers in technology, manufacturing and entrepreneurship.