BANGI, March 5 — Representatives of German industry players have been invited to join the National Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Council, to share new knowledge and technology with students and local TVET institutions, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Ahmad Zahid who is also National TVET Council chairman said apart from Germany, the government will also invite representatives from other foreign countries that have TVET institutions in Malaysia, to join the council.

“Industry players from Germany have volunteered to contribute in terms of knowledge, experience and technology to many TVET institutions in Malaysia, so when I was in Berlin (October) I invited the German Chamber of Commerce in Malaysia to send a representative to the National TVET Council.

“One of the CEOs (chief executive officers) from one of the German companies will be named to sit on the national TVET Council,” he told the media after attending the Industry Advisory Council Summit here today.

Ahmad Zahid said that in addition to sharing new knowledge and technology, foreign companies that are members of the National TVET Council can also sign agreements to employ TVET graduates with their companies and be paid a premium salary.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid said as many as 238 agreements and cooperation with private companies and government-linked companies (GLCs) and government-linked investment companies (GLICs) were signed with TVET institutions last year.

During the same period, more than 10,000 agreements were signed between the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) and the Ministry of Higher Education.

“This means that more than 10,200 companies have established relationships to implement TVET and also hire TVET graduates to become a workforce in the companies concerned,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid in his speech said Germany’s vocational programme stands as a shining example of industry-academia collaboration at its finest.

He said it is a model that has been proven to work, spearheaded by industry leaders and enriched by an academic curriculum at all levels.

“The success stories emerging from Germany, orchestrated and guided by the German Chamber of Commerce, alongside companies like Bosch leading the way - are a testament to the efficacy of this approach.

“Malaysia looks to Germany with admiration and respect. We see in your model a path to success, and we believe it is a path we must tread if we are to secure a prosperous and sustainable future for our youth and our nation,” he said.

At the ceremony, Ahmad Zahid also witnessed the presentation of the official appointment letter by the German-Malaysian Institute chief executive officer Ahmad Solihin Mohamed Yusoff to 12 members of the Industry Advisory Council including representatives from Aerodyne Group, B.Braun Malaysia, Bermaz Auto Bhd, Bosch Rexroth Sdn Bhd, Ciba Vision (Alcon), and Ericsson Malaysia. — Bernama