KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 18 — Perbadanan Usahawan Nasional Bhd (PUNB) is collaborating with the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) in the field of research, entrepreneurial development and marketability of Bumiputera graduates to increase their achievement to a higher level, especially in entrepreneurship.

PUNB said the collaboration is also able to increase the marketability of Bumiputera graduates through entrepreneurship skills training programmes designed and implemented jointly by the ministry and PUNB.

“This cooperation is expected to help create employment opportunities for more than 300,000 students who will be graduating this year.

“Initially, 500 Bumiputera graduates will be trained under the EntrepreneurMOHE@PUNB ‘Empowering Business Through Digitalization’ programme for a period of three months,” it said in a statement today.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) signing ceremony between PUNB and MOHE was held virtually and launched through MOHE and PUNB official social media simultaneously.

PUNB said the short-term training programme focuses on management and leadership; finance, assets and stocks; as well as, technical guidance to strengthen digital skills such as digital marketing, and web research and analytic that are sought after by business entities to remain resilient and compete in a more competitive market.

PUNB said through the collaboration, more graduates could be equipped with entrepreneurial skills, hence, further increasing the number of those who would pursue entrepreneurship after graduation.

“As of December 2019, almost 50,000 students from institutions of higher learning (IPTs) conducted business during their enrolment (in IPTs) and of them, about 7,000 graduates are pursuing business after graduation,” it said.

Besides that, it said PUNB is also offering business-related advisory services to participants through BizKonsultansi that could be accessed online throughout the training programme and even after the completion of the training.

It said coaching on business plan presentation or pitching is also provided to enable them to obtain funds from financing agencies.

PUNB also provides business financing worth up to RM1 million, as well as the opportunity to participate in the PUNB JUMPER programme for participants who completed the training, met the criteria and choose to make entrepreneurship a career.

“They will be exposed to real learning about business management through attachment training or coaching for eight months at PUNB entrepreneur companies or companies appointed as mentors,” he said. — Bernama