Caregiver shortage: Govt turns to TVET, upskilling to meet growing demand
KUALA LUMPUR: The government is ramping up efforts to address the country's critical shortage of trained caregivers, including collaborations with Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.
Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said the move is part of the ministry's strategy to build a sustainable and professional caregiving workforce ahead of Malaysia's transition into an ageing nation by 2030.
"We want to raise awareness, especially among jobseekers, that caregiving is not only a noble profession but also a field with growing demand and employment opportunities.
"The next plan will be recruiting more of those who will be interested in caregiving.
"We have to work together more on the TVET programme for caregiving," she said in a press conference at the Asean-ROK Conference on Care and Support for Older Persons today.
Also present were the Deputy Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad, secretary-general Datuk Dr Maziah Che Yusoff and the Ambassador of South Korea to Asean Lee Jang-Keun.
The conference aims to enhance knowledge, raise awareness, and explore practical solutions for key challenges in elderly care across Asean and Korea.
Nancy added that caregiving has strong employment potential, with a growing number of institutions reaching out to the ministry in search of qualified workers.
"In terms of salary, this is actually a very promising field.
"Many institutions have approached us to help them find people interested in caregiving.
"We want to give trainees better qualifications, whether a certificate or degree, so they can value their skills and secure better jobs.
"It's time we stop relying on other countries to provide us with caregivers. We need to build our own capacity," she added.
Nancy said the ministry has been upskilling its own personnel under the Social Welfare Department, with 235 staff trained in 2022, 385 in 2023, and 485 targeted this year.
However, she said these numbers are still insufficient to meet the country's needs.
"The shortage of geriatric specialists and uneven access to care facilities between urban and rural areas, and unlicensed care centres also pose risks to vulnerable groups.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Barnama
3 hours ago
- Barnama
மூத்த குடிமக்களுக்கான சட்ட மசோதா நிறைவு
Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri speaks at a press conference after the ASEAN + Republic of Korea Conference on Care and Support for Older Persons, held at a hotel here today.
New Straits Times
7 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Caregiver shortage: Govt turns to TVET, upskilling to meet growing demand
KUALA LUMPUR: The government is ramping up efforts to address the country's critical shortage of trained caregivers, including collaborations with Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions. Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said the move is part of the ministry's strategy to build a sustainable and professional caregiving workforce ahead of Malaysia's transition into an ageing nation by 2030. "We want to raise awareness, especially among jobseekers, that caregiving is not only a noble profession but also a field with growing demand and employment opportunities. "The next plan will be recruiting more of those who will be interested in caregiving. "We have to work together more on the TVET programme for caregiving," she said in a press conference at the Asean-ROK Conference on Care and Support for Older Persons today. Also present were the Deputy Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad, secretary-general Datuk Dr Maziah Che Yusoff and the Ambassador of South Korea to Asean Lee Jang-Keun. The conference aims to enhance knowledge, raise awareness, and explore practical solutions for key challenges in elderly care across Asean and Korea. Nancy added that caregiving has strong employment potential, with a growing number of institutions reaching out to the ministry in search of qualified workers. "In terms of salary, this is actually a very promising field. "Many institutions have approached us to help them find people interested in caregiving. "We want to give trainees better qualifications, whether a certificate or degree, so they can value their skills and secure better jobs. "It's time we stop relying on other countries to provide us with caregivers. We need to build our own capacity," she added. Nancy said the ministry has been upskilling its own personnel under the Social Welfare Department, with 235 staff trained in 2022, 385 in 2023, and 485 targeted this year. However, she said these numbers are still insufficient to meet the country's needs. "The shortage of geriatric specialists and uneven access to care facilities between urban and rural areas, and unlicensed care centres also pose risks to vulnerable groups.
New Straits Times
9 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Elderly care law draft ready, but tabling may wait till 2026
KUALA LUMPUR: The Senior Citizens Bill is expected to be tabled in Parliament next year, with the draft already completed and currently undergoing further consultation with stakeholders and state governments. Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said while the ministry aims to submit the draft to the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) by the end of this year, the need for wider engagement may push the timeline to 2026. "We have already prepared the draft. What we're doing now is going back to industry players and stakeholders for further discussions. "We're also consulting all the states, especially Sabah and Sarawak, to ensure they are agreeable to what we are planning," she said during a press conference at the Asean-ROK Conference on Care and Support for Older Persons today. Also present were Women, Family and Community Development Deputy Minister Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad, secretary-general Datuk Dr Maziah Che Yusoff and the Ambassador of South Korea to Asean Lee Jang-Keun. The conference is an initiative led by Malaysia's Senior Officials Meeting on Social Welfare and Development with the support from Korea's Health and Welfare Ministry. It aims to enhance knowledge, raise awareness, and explore practical solutions for key challenges in elderly care across Asean and Korea. Nancy said the bill, once enacted, will regulate the aged care sector and ensure the well-being and dignity of Malaysia's growing senior population. The move comes as the country prepares to become an ageing nation by 2030, when 15.3 per cent of the population is projected to be aged 60 and above. She added that the ministry has received overwhelming interest from various parties wanting to contribute to the legislative process. "The industry is booming, and many want to be part of the law-making process through consultation. "With the hope that by before the end of 2025, we plan to send the draft to AGC. And after that, maybe it can be done (tabled) by this year. "But I have a feeling that it has to wait for next year to get the bill to be tabled in Parliament. The draft is there." Nancy said that the ultimate aim is to ensure that older persons are treated with dignity and respect while receiving the necessary care and support to thrive in society.
