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This paper discusses the participation of Indigenous community in the field of technical and vocational education (TVE) and in the specialized programs in skills training institutions (STI) in Malaysia. Marginalization of Indigenous youth in terms of education and employment in Malaysia is critical and needs to be addressed. High unemployment among the Orang Asli youth may be attributed to their lack of proper skills required by the employers. Thus, vocational training is needed to ensure the competitiveness of these people in the era of globalization to live a more comfortable life and have a better socio-economic status (SES). This paper also deliberates on the developmental history of TVE, the aims and the objectives of its implementation in the education system. Apart from these, the training and skills programs for the Indigenous youth who are drop-outs and have completed schooling were also discussed. This paper also presents the conclusion and recommendations to improve the participation of Indigenous community in the TVE and STI. If the recommendations are taken positively by the relevant authorities in-charge of the Indigenous people, the future of Indigenous youth will be brighter because it will improve their employment prospects and enhance their social mobility and status.

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The purpose of this paper is to propose a practical and simple framework of engineering employability skills that will allow the concept to be explained easily and that can be used as a framework for working with engineering graduates to develop their employability before entering the workforce. The framework was developed from existing research on engineering employability skills issues and the requirement of accreditation of engineering programme. The various employability skills related to engineering included in the framework are discussed and their criteria justified based on a literature review of existing studies. The framework sets out exactly what is meant by engineering employability, in clear and simple terms, and the framework suggests directions for interaction between the various skills. The relationships between the skills within the framework remain theoretical. Further research to test the framework is planned and will be reported in a future paper. The framework can be used to explain the concept of employability to those new to the subject, and particularly to engineering students and their future employer.

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The authors suggest that, in the contemporary economic environment, workers are expected to undertake jobs that are broader and vocational education is expected to produce an educated and skilled graduate able to perform such work. This article reports on a study that investigated the perceptions of educators and employers of the role of vocational education in the economic development of Malaysia. The aim was to determine the satisfaction of each group with the structure and effectiveness of Malaysian vocational education. Specifically, the study investigated the perceptions of both groups about the employability of graduates, the factors influencing the restructuring of vocational education to facilitate industrialisation, and the responsiveness of the government to the needs of vocational education and training systems. The research revealed that employers in Malaysia tend to be less satisfied than educators with the capabilities of graduates, particularly in terms of general workplace skills such as motivation, problem-solving ability and communication. Both groups advocated increased funding and greater involvement by private industry in the restructuring of public vocational education. Show less

The theme for this year’s conference was ‘Vocational education and training systems, what works and why’ and the program was structured around four topics: VET systems; VET in developing countries; VET and economic and social development; and VET and special needs groups. This paper was part of the second topic. Globalisation and the knowledge economy have restructured the economic and education systems in many countries. Rapid technological changes and workforce requirements of the new era have spawned a new interest in tech-prep and school-to-work models. The Department of Technical Education in Malaysia has piloted the models in various technical and vocational schools in Malaysia. Tech-prep programs are designed to prepare youth with essential technical and employability skills. Contextual learning is embedded in the tech-prep system. In the last two decades, Malaysia has achieved one of the fastest rates of economic development of any developing country in the world. In preparing for the knowledge economy, however, Malaysia currently lacks some of the critical elements to support the new economy. Among them are the lack of adequate knowledge and skilled human resources, inadequacy of a knowledge economy supportive education and training infrastructure, lack of research and development capability, [a] relatively weak science and technology base, deficiency in institutional support and infostructure, and [a] lack of inventors and technopreneurs. Therefore, this article discusses the reform initiatives in meeting the global challenges.

Published abstract with additional information reprinted by permission of the copyright owner.

The main entry for the IVETA 2001 conference is indexed at TD/TNC 68.302. Individual papers presented at the conference are listed by topic from TD/TNC 68.303 to TD/TNC 68.306. Selected papers (including keynote speeches) are indexed from TD/TNC 68.307 to TD/TNC 68.384. Show less

The information revolution has changed the way the global economy operates as well as the way people work and learn. In the new knowledge economy, physical and natural resources are being replaced by knowledge as the key to economic development and there is a need to review education systems and human resource development (HRD) policies. This article discusses the impact of the knowledge economy on Malaysia’s HRD and offers recommendations for enhancing Malaysia’s competitiveness in preparing its future workforce. Show less

The impact of globalisation and k-economy has led to a heightened awareness of the need to reform Technology and Vocational-Technical Education (TVTE) and training systems to prepare a dynamic workforce which could meet future challenges of the new era. The conference proceedings are a collection of papers presented at the 2001 International Conference on Technology and Vocational-Technical Education: Globalisation and Future Trends, organised by the Faculty of Education, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and the Malaysian National Commission for UNESCO. The sub-themes include: TVTE for all; Integration of [information and communications technology] ICT in TVTE; Preparation for k-economy; Partnerships and networking; Lifelong learning; Innovation, design, and creativity; Curriculum and pedagogy; and Teacher education. Seventy-seven papers are included in the proceedings which cover all topics in the sub-themes.

Edited summary from publication.

The contents of volume two are: Technical and vocational educational program at Kolej Universiti Teknologi Tun Hussein Onn (KUITTHO): a new program for technical and vocational schools, community colleges and polytechnics, Ministry of Education, Malaysia / Ayob Johari and Sulaiman Hj. Hasan; Wanita dalam kerjaya vokasional-teknikal: isu-isu dari perspektif Islam / Ab. Halim Tamuri, Kamarulzaman Abdul Ghani, Nik Mohd. Rahimi Nik Yusof and Khadijah Abdul Razak; How not to miss the boat: just -in-time training to meet marine industry needs / Jennifer Nevard and Christopher Chalon; Pembinaan sistem persidangan berkomputer: sidangkom-komponen manual bercetak / Rosseni Din, Siti Fatimah Mohd. Yassin, Siti Rahayah Arrifin, Ruhizan Mohd. Yassin and Kamarul Zaman Khalid; Tinjauan kaedah pengajaran program keusahawanan remaja mengikut persepsi peserta / Norasmah Othman, Zaidatol Akmaliah Lope Pihie, Mohd. Ibrahim Nazri and Robiah Ahmad Tarmizi; High skill economy and the future workforce: the revised role of TVE in preparing young people with key qualifications / Nematollah Azizi; Responding to needs in teacher development in Eastern Canada / George Hache; Penggunaan aplikasi internet dalam konteks pengajaran-pembelajaran: cabaran kepada guru-guru teknikal / Mohd. Safarin Nordin; Creativity, design, innovation and entrepreneurship education orientation in vocational and technical curriculum: towards global challenges / Nor Aishah Buang; Implications of information and communication technologies (ICT) on vocational-technical education (VTE) / Rozhan Mohammed Idrus, Mohd. Arif Ismail and Rosnaini Mahmud; E-pembelajaran: isu dan cabaran perlaksanaan di Malaysia / Rosmah Mat Isa, Rasidah Arshad, Nor Liza Abdullah and Rohayu Abdul Ghani;

Pentaksiran prestasi kanak-kanak menggunakan pembelajaran diurus komputer (computer-managed instruction CMI) dalam konsep biasan cahaya / Siti Rahayah Ariffin, Siti Fatimah Mohd Yassin, Aidah Abdul Karim and Nor Lizalina Mohamad; The uses of cipp models as a tool of evaluation: how effective on evaluating the teaching of technical drawing / Azizi Yahaya, Ahmad Johari Siher, Yusof Boon and Roslan Awang Mohammad; An internet learning exchange-virtual classroom / Manjit Singh Sidhu and C. H. Teoh; Keberkesanan dan masalah penggunaan teknologi dalam pendidikan bahasa Melayu / Zamri Mahamod and Mohamed Amin Embi; Some considerations on developing of web-based learning in engineering education / Abdul Wahab Mohammad and Meor Zainal Meor Talib; Web based teaching and learning in technical and vocational education: factor of IT integration / Mohamad Hisyam Mohd Hashim and Yusof Hashim; Assistive technology and learner independence / Manisah Mohd. Ali; Bahasa di tempat kerja: keperluan bahasa melayu khusus dalam pendidikan vokasional dan teknikal / Juriah Long, Khalid Abdullah, Zarin Ismail and Puteh Mohamad; How are qualified Saudi females employed in the Saudi private sector? / John R. Calvert and Abdullah S. Al-Shetaiwi; An instrument to measure Malaysian teachers' information technology (IT) preparedness / Wong Su Luan, Kamariah Abu Bakar, Rohani Ahmad Tarmizi and Ramlah Hamzah; Pemikiran dalam pendidikan teknologi dan vokasional: satu penilaian / Tajul Ariffin Noordin and Nor'Aini Dan; Training in the workplace: case studies in manufacturing / David S. Manterfield; A survey of the probability for transforming vocational senior high schools into community colleges in Taiwan, R.O.C. / How-Gao Hsu and Yan-Dan Lin;

The importance of teaching technology education in the foundation phase (pupils aged 6 to 9 years) in South Africa / Karen Ann Walstra and Alf Mitchley; In service educational training in technology in South Africa: a recommended short term approach / Alf Mitchley ; Supportive and suppressive factors in the improvement of vocational special needs education: a case study of Malaysia / Ramlee Mustapha, Manisah Mohd Ali, Safani Bari and Salleh Amat; Masalah pembelajaran pelajar pengajian kejuruteraan awam dalam tajuk struktur di sekolah menengah teknik, Negeri Kelantan / Widad Othman and Adbul Nasir Che Sulaiman; Technology education approaches: the Malaysian perspective / Ruhizan Mohamad Yasin and Ramlee Mustapha; Pendidikan teknikal dan vokasional di Malaysia: perkembangan dan halatuju / Mohamad Hussin Mohamad Yusuf, Ramlee Mustapha and Noriah Mohd Ishak; The imperative for lifelong learning: a view from Australia / Andy Smith and Alison Raggatt; National occupational skill standards development in Saudi: automotive technology education and training case study / Ali S. Al-Watban; Integration of computer into teaching-learning: a study of concerns and the managing ability among smart school teachers / Sathiamoorthy Kannan; A study of the manpower development trend of vocational education and training in Hong Kong / Michael Kin-Keung Fung; Enhancement of human resource development productivity through continuing education / Humood F. Al-Mudhaf; A comparison of instruction quality supervision between an academic high school and a vocational high school / Chih-Yang Chao and Shiow-Ling Hwu; A creative thinking instructional strategy for the practical specialty: cultivating course in the industrial junior colleges / Chih-Yang Chao and Chong-Ming Yu. Show less

Malaysia’s industrial development will require a high quality workforce. However, rapid industrialisation and skilled worker shortages have highlighted the need to reform the vocational education and training systems. In this article, the authors describe school-to-work initiatives and vocational training in Malaysia. It is suggested that Malaysia’s industrial development will be seriously affected by the failure of the school system to generate workers with the necessary technical skills to satisfy the demands of the high-tech labour market of the future. It is recommended that education and training at the secondary and post-secondary levels be restructured and expanded, especially in the vocational and technical areas, to meet the demand for skilled workers in engineering and technical occupations. School-based education could also play a role in meeting workforce development needs by embedding more work-based components in the curriculum. Show less

The future of Malaysia's competitiveness depends on the skills of its workforce. Research has shown that technical education has assumed a significant role in the industrial development of Malaysia in terms of supplying necessary skilled workers and professionals. However, rapid technological changes and increased global competition have exacerbated the challenges associated with the delivery and quality of technical education in Malaysia. Employers lamented that graduates of technical institutions lacked employability and critical skills. With the increasing demand for knowledge workers with high-order thinking skills, the education system should react proactively. This paper will review pertinent events and trends in Malaysia's reform initiatives in technical education. The paper will also discuss government policies and initiatives in preparing for k-economy [knowledge economy] and globalisation; partnership between public and private sectors; teacher training; infrastructure; and quality assurance. Recommendations for policy and practice will be offered.

Abstract written by the authors and reprinted with permission. Show less

The issue of the employability of graduates has made social skills, also known as, soft skills an important goal for all education institutions and local skills training institutes in Malaysia. Aside from academic performance and skills in specific core skills, social skills play a vital role as elements of recruitment by employers. The Department of Skill Development (DSD), Ministry of Human Resources, has applied elements of social skills to the National Dual Training System (NDTS) curriculum development. As a result, this study aims to review employers’ perceptions of social skills and social values among NDTS apprentices. The study used a quantitative approach and the data was collected from respondent groups that include managers, supervisors and personnel involved in recruitment in their organization. The study concludes that social skills are as important as technical skills in automotive industry in Malaysia and suggests that both training institutes and the workplace (during training) should play a role in equipping apprentices with the required social skills. Furthermore, the study found that teamwork and personal qualities were the most importance social skills required by the labour market and current NDTS apprentices almost fulfil such expectations.

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This article reports on a descriptive study aimed at identifying the perceptions of vocational and technical educators of the role of vocational and technical education (VTE) in the industrialisation of Malaysia. Three hundred vocational and technical educators were randomly selected to participate in a questionnaire. The conclusions suggested that vocational and technical educators believe that VTE has taken on a major role in the industrial development of Malaysia and that significant financial investment in VTE is justified. They are less certain regarding the motivation and affective skills of vocational and technical graduates. Educators believe that contributions from the private sector and technical cooperation between vocational institutions and business/industry are mutually beneficial. Educators also believe that the public sector was not adequately fulfilling the human resource needs of the industrial sector and that the government needs to play a more effective role in meeting the needs of VTE along with business and industry. Show less