KUCHING: The unemployment rate in Malaysia can go below 3.3 per cent through the National Dual Training System (NDTS).
Education, Science and Technological Research Assistant Minister Dr Annuar Rapaee said this when officiating at the third state-level NDTS convocation at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching here.
“In Sarawak, we talk about rapid development, oil and gas and others but without skilled workers, we are not able to fulfill that goal.
“NDTS is a system that is trying to handle the state’s needs and I believe that the system is also able to handle unemployment issues.
“We have to improve and strengthen our efforts to make sure that the unemployment rate in Malaysia goes below 3.3 per cent,” he said.
Dr Annuar, who is also Housing and Public Health Assistant Minister, advised graduates to continuously practise the system.
“Everything needs practice as through practice, it can be perfected. The training that we have gone through is basic but to achieve higher success, we have to practise continuously what we have learned.
“Our country needs a lot of skilled manpower. That is why this NDTS implemented by the Skills Development Department under the Human Resources Ministry is a great system that is obtained from Germany,” he added.
A total of 544 graduates were presented with their certificates by Dr Annuar and Skills Development Department NDTS director Dr Aruna Ismail.
The NDTS programme, introduced in 2005, aims to create knowledge workers in the field of humanities and social through comprehensive and up-to-date training methods that meet current industry requirements.
NDTS is an industry-based training system where 70-80 per cent of practical training is conducted in an industry company while 20-30 per cent of training is conducted in a training centre.
This training is based on the concept of smart partnerships between the industry and skills training centres, and is expected to work on the skills mismatch or mismatch issues often raised by the industry. In this way the needs of the skilled workers according to the specific needs of the industry can be met.
In Sarawak, there are 21 active NDTS training centres while 45 NDTS companies are active in various sectors that are closely related to the industrial needs of the state.
Among the training offered are automotive, heavy vehicle, electrician, spa therapist, hairdresser, welding, clothing stitching, reflexology, aquaculture, diving, plantation, hospitality, and many other fields.
