Dr Thomas Chong
Corporate Malaysia stands at a crossroads. On one path lies the familiar rhythm of incremental improvement — the “business as usual” that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has repeatedly warned against. On the other path lies a bold, future‑ready Malaysia powered by a skilled workforce, deeply competent in technical and vocational excellence, and fully aligned with the demands of a rapidly transforming global economy.
Which path to take? The choice is ours, and the time is now.
In his 2025 Hari TVET Negara address, PM Anwar spoke with his characteristic eloquence: Malaysia’s economic ambitions are constrained not by ideas, not by investment appetite, but by a shortage of specialised technical talent. Global giants – Google, Microsoft, Infineon, AMD – are eager to expand, but they are concerned if there is a sufficient pipeline of skilled workers to sustain high‑value operations. This is a compelling invitation to get into capability development via TVET, and to stay competitive.
As someone who has spent decades strengthening workforce capability – from upskilling 77,600 Malaysian teachers in 2004, to enhancing the functional literacies of 500,000 Singaporean workers in 2005, to training instructors across Sri Lanka’s 250 vocational centres – I have been blessed with first-hand experiences, seeing what happens when a nation commits to skills development at scale. Productivity rises, confidence rises, wages rise . . . and more importantly, dignity rises.
Malaysia is now poised for that same transformation — if corporate leaders seize the moment.
TVET Is Not a “Second Chance” Path — It Is the Productivity Engine of the Nation
For too long, TVET has been treated as a fallback option. But the world has changed. AI, robotics, IoT, automation, and advanced manufacturing are no longer niche domains – they are the backbone of modern industry. As Deputy PM Ahmad Zahid Hamidi noted, the post‑pandemic world demands high‑skill, high‑digital‑competency workers, and Malaysia must elevate TVET’s reputation to match this reality.
Indeed, PM Anwar has been very direct and on-point: Malaysia cannot become a top investment destination unless TVET and higher education institutions accelerate their transformation. This is a strategic imperative, not merely a policy statement.
Corporate Malaysia Must Lead — Not Wait
The most competitive economies in the world share one trait: industry‑driven skills ecosystems.
Germany’s dual‑training model, which PM Anwar referenced in his Kuantan dialogue, produces graduates who command higher wages because industry itself shapes the curriculum, standards, and apprenticeship pathways. Malaysia can do the same – but only if companies start treating TVET as a core business strategy.
I humbly suggest the following for corporate leaders to consider:
1. Advance and Offer Real Apprenticeships, Not Factory Tours
Students need hands‑on, real‑world exposure. An apprenticeship (of no less than 6 months) can change a young person’s life — and your talent pipeline.
2. Believe and invest in Trainers, Not Just Trainees
In Singapore and Sri Lanka, I saw how upgrading instructors created exponential impact. When trainers grow, entire cohorts grow.
3. Co‑Design Curricula with TVET Institutions
If your company uses robotics, automation, data analytics, or precision engineering, you should be sitting at the curriculum table. Not as a guest — as a co‑architect.
4. Develop Centres of Excellence with Government Support
The government is ready. Funding is flowing. Policies are aligned. What we need now are corporate champions willing to build flagship training hubs in partnership with TVET institutions.
5. Engage and pay TVET Graduates What They Are Worth
PM Anwar has expressed dissatisfaction that many TVET graduates still earn below RM2,000, despite high employability. He has set a target of RM2,500–RM3,000 as a baseline for skilled roles. I believe Corporate Malaysia, anticipating higher productivity and profits, can lead this wage correction, with appropriate government support.
Why This Matters: Productivity, Profitability, and National Purpose
Let’s cut to the chase: TVET is not charity. TVET is competitive advantage. To illustrate, a skilled technician reduces downtime, a competent machine operator improves yield, a digitally fluent maintenance team prevents costly failures, and put together, a well‑trained workforce accelerates automation ROI. Every CEO wants higher productivity, and the beautiful thing is TVET implemented right, can help us achieve this.
But beyond the balance sheet lies something deeper — something I see PM Anwar emphasised in his 2025 speech. Education, including TVET, must shape not only skills but character, grounded in values and integrity – or what I refer to as “adab”. This is where Malaysia can be a leader, demonstrating technical excellence anchored in moral excellence.
As someone who has served in ministry, education, and corporate transformation, I firmly believe that skills without values create efficiency without humanity. On the other hand, skills with values create nations.
A Call to Corporate Courage
Malaysia is entering yet another new industrial era. The New Industrial Master Plan 2030 envisions a nation that is innovative, resilient, and globally competitive. But plans do not transform nations — people do. And people are shaped by the opportunities we create for them.
Corporate Malaysia, this is your moment. Invest in TVET not because the government asks you to, but because your future can be a lot better with it. Partner with TVET institutions not because it looks good in an ESG report, but because it strengthens your competitive edge. Pay TVET graduates fairly not because it is charitable, but because it is just. If we do this together — government, industry, and educators — Malaysia will not merely catch up. Malaysia will lead.
Years later, when our children walk into factories powered by robotics, labs humming with innovation, and companies thriving with world‑class talent, we will know that we had chosen the right path. The path of courage. The path of partnership. The path of TVET.
