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KUCHING: Budget 2027 should introduce a dedicated federal–Sarawak programme to strengthen industry-linked technical and vocational education and training (TVET) and apprenticeships in sectors expected to see strong future demand.
Former Universiti Malaysia Sarawak deputy vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Mohd Fadzil Abdul Rahman said such an initiative could support modern training equipment, instructor development, industry-informed curricula, apprenticeships, professional certification and employment services.
He said greater emphasis should be placed on improving the quality and relevance of existing training rather than merely increasing the number of places available.
“If not, simply increasing the number of training places will not necessarily produce better outcomes.
“Budget 2027 should therefore support the modernisation of training facilities, the replacement of obsolete equipment, continuous development of instructors and greater involvement of industry practitioners in training,” he told Sarawak Tribune.
Mohd Fadzil said Sarawak has already invested substantially in its TVET ecosystem, but the next challenge is ensuring institutions are equipped to meet the requirements of a changing economy.
Among the areas requiring future skills are advanced manufacturing, automation and robotics, renewable energy and hydrogen, electrical and electronics, digital technology and artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, aerospace, engineering, as well as smart agriculture and food technology.
He said investment should also be more focused rather than spread too widely across many institutions, with selected institutions, facilities and programmes strengthened to develop specialised expertise and eventually become recognised centres of excellence.
“A technician of the future may need to work with mechanical or electrical systems while also understanding automation, sensors, data and digital control systems.
“That is why Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), TVET and digital capabilities should increasingly be viewed as interconnected rather than as separate areas,” he added.
He said the key consideration should be whether capabilities developed through education and training programmes correspond with the workforce requirements of Sarawak’s emerging industries.
As such, he said the state must anticipate the skills industries will require over the coming decade rather than respond only after shortages emerge.
“We should be asking not only what employers need today, but also how technology and industrial practices are likely to change and what capabilities workers will need as a result.
“If we can anticipate those changes rather than respond only after skills shortages emerge, Sarawak will be in a much stronger position to prepare its workforce for the investments and technologies it hopes to attract,” he said.
He also called for employers to play a greater role in training, including helping institutions identify relevant competencies, advising on curricula and providing workplace exposure.
Apprenticeships, he said, should have clear learning objectives, proper supervision and recognised competencies instead of becoming temporary placements or a source of low-cost labour.
Mohd Fadzil also suggested linking part of government funding to measurable outcomes beyond enrolment and graduation figures.
These could include whether graduates obtain recognised qualifications, secure employment, enter occupations related to their training and subsequently progress into higher-skilled positions.
At the same time, he stressed that greater specialisation should not reduce access to education and training for students from rural, remote and less developed areas.
“That, in my view, is where Budget 2027 can have a lasting impact: by ensuring that investment in education and training is closely connected to the economic opportunities Sarawak is creating, while giving young people the capabilities and pathways they need to participate in that future,” he said.
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