Leading path to skill excellence

KUCHING: Sarawak leads in recognising highly skilled youths by being the only state in the country to host the Worldskills Malaysia competition.

Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said that the competition here is an initiative addressing the global challenges of skills development and assessment.

He noted that there has been a long-standing debate over whether universities should focus on creating graduates with marketable skills or on serving as incubators for new ideas.

“The pressure on universities to remain relevant in the face of economic instability and dwindling employment prospects has increased dramatically as attention has shifted to the Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR 4.0).

“Hence, we cannot be left behind, as it is important that local human resources should not only keep up with it but also move further up the curve in order to be more competitive,” he said in a speech read by Education, Innovation, and Talent Development (MEITD) Minister Datuk Seri Roland Sagah Wee Inn during the closing ceremony of Worldskills Malaysia Sarawak 2023 at the Centre for Technology Excellence Sarawak (CENTEXS) today (Dec 11).

He said that one of the main aspects of the competition was to raise the visibility and highlight the importance of professional education as a tool for socio-economic transformation.

Additionally, he mentioned that it provides leaders in industry, government, and education with opportunities to exchange information and the best practices in contemporary industrial technologies and professional education.