NIBONG TEBAL, Dec 9 — The Perda High Skills Institute or Perda-Tech, which is an institution under the Penang Regional Development Authority (Perda), has played its role effectively in helping school-leavers, especially rural youth to obtain skills training with accreditation recognised by academic, professional and industry bodies.
Ministry of Rural and Regional Development (KKDW) secretary-general Datuk Seri Ramlan Harun said in the implementation of skills education, Perda-Tech indirectly provides opportunities to students who fail to obtain a place in any public (IPTA) or private Institute of Higher Education (IPTS) in the country.
“Perda is an agency under KKDW and the opportunity offered by Perda-Tech is to help students acquire knowledge to improve the socioeconomic status of the community, especially in rural areas.
“Until now, Perda-Tech offers 18 study programmes that have employability and marketability in various fields starting from special skills certificate, certificate and diploma and all these programmes also have a direct impact on social mobility and target groups,” he said in his speech at the 12th Perda-Tech Convention here today, where a total of 405 Perda-Tech graduates received their certificates and diplomas.
Ramlan said that as a human capital development institution, Perda-Tech plays a role in helping the government in the development of the country through the provision of skilled and semi-skilled manpower to meet the needs of industry.
He said the role is in line with the government’s desire to mainstream and expand access to Vocational Technical Education and Training (TVET) because TVET will give students the opportunity to continue their studies in a specific skill up to the highest level, which is at the university.
“Next, it will be able to help the government’s efforts towards making Malaysia a high-income and developed country in the world,” he said.
He said that based on the mission of providing quality technical skills education that meets market demand through the delivery of excellent programmes based on noble values and ethics, the foundation provided by Perda-Tech is in line with the government’s aspiration to make TVET a priority area for manpower trained in vocational and technical fields.
“From the academic point of view and the marketability of graduates, I would also like to express my pride in the achievement of outcomes that have been produced through a survey of Perda-Tech graduates in 2022, which found that 72 per cent have found employment and another 20 per cent have continued studies to a higher level,” he said, adding that Perda-Tech has produced more than 11,000 graduates. — Bernama
