School leavers: Don’t shun STEM and TVET courses

 

From Hong Wai Onn

I’ve recently come across a concerning trend that I feel compelled to address. SPM school-leavers might have been dissuaded from pursuing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) courses due to misconceptions about career prospects and income potential.

I want to share my perspective on this issue by highlighting the immense value that STEM education, particularly engineering, brings to our nation.

Contrary to common misconceptions, STEM-related industries are facing high demand and a significant shortage of skilled professionals.

For example, the current ratio of engineers to the population in Malaysia is 1:170, which is considerably lower than in developed nations like Germany and France, where the ratio is 1:100. This stark contrast underscores the urgent need to encourage more students to pursue careers in this field.

Additionally, I want to stress the importance of TVET in complementing traditional STEM education. TVET emphasises practical, job-oriented skills valued by employers, offering diverse pathways to success across industries, providing students with crucial hands-on experience for thriving in the workforce.

I understand that some school-leavers may perceive TVET as a less prestigious option, typically associated with students who either leave academic fields or do not have top academic qualifications. However, this perception is inaccurate.

According to Unesco, Malaysia’s youth enrolment in TVET institutions was only 6.1% in 2022, a significantly lower figure compared to our neighbours, Singapore (23.8%) and South Korea (14.2%).

If TVET is considered less valuable, why do these more developed countries have a higher proportion of TVET graduates than we do?

In 2023, Malaysia attracted over RM300 billion in investments, the highest level of approved investments in the country’s history.

I believe the government will persist in prioritising training in STEM and TVET fields to enhance foreign investments, ensuring Malaysia remains competitive with a skilled workforce essential for high-end industries.

This commitment is further reinforced by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s recent announcement of a plan to train 60,000 highly skilled local semiconductor professionals to support the country’s ambition of becoming a global chip hub.

To address salary disparities, the Board of Engineers Malaysia, the statutory authority representing the engineering profession in Malaysia, has recommended increasing the starting salary range for engineers.

Simultaneously, the government is considering the implementation of a higher salary for TVET graduates as a means of recognising this group’s value.

While these initiatives are still in their early stages, they underscore the government’s dedication to encouraging more youth to pursue careers in these fields. - FMT

Hong Wai Onn, is a chartered chemical engineer and a Fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT