MPC LEADS PRODUCTIVITY PUSH TO MEET 3.6 PCT GROWTH TARGET UNDER 13MP

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 20 (Bernama) -- The Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC) will continue to spearhead the national productivity agenda in support of the 3.6 per cent annual productivity growth target under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), with a strategic focus on digitalisation, skilled talent development and regulatory reform.

MPC People’s Productivity Division director Mohamad Muzaffar Abdul Hamid said that as the central agency driving the national productivity agenda, MPC emphasised technology adoption and digitalisation, workforce development, as well as reforms to facilitate business processes and strengthen the overall economic ecosystem.

He said the development of future talent in line with the aspirations of the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030) was a priority, including the target to increase the proportion of skilled workers to 35 per cent and raise the average years of schooling from 11.1 years to 12.7 years.

“We need to expand the size of the economy so that companies can generate higher profits, ensure wages are increased so Malaysians can live more prosperously, happily and comfortably, and enable the government to collect sufficient revenue to build infrastructure that can further boost national productivity growth,” he said when appearing as a guest on Bernama TV’s Ruang Bicara programme tonight.

In a similar development, Mohamad Muzaffar said among MPC’s unique initiatives was the “place and train” model developed in collaboration with industry, government and academia, where trainees were placed directly in industries to enhance skills aligned with real sector needs.

“The academy-in-industry model helps bridge the gap between educational institutions and industry, as technology advances rapidly at the industrial level. The programmes are designed by industry for industry, with government recognition,” he explained.

He said the initiative also involved collaboration among four key ministries, namely the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry; the Ministry of Economy; the Ministry of Human Resources; and the Ministry of Higher Education, with support from the Ministry of Education.

He said a holistic approach involving the entire national ecosystem was crucial as human capital was the determining factor for transformation, particularly in high-growth and high-value sectors such as semiconductors, energy and aerospace.

In the context of the semiconductor industry, he said the government was targeting an export value of RM1 trillion under the 13MP, which required a sufficient and competitive supply of skilled labour to meet the needs of high-technology industries.

“To support NIMP 2030 and the 13MP, we must ensure a consistent supply of skilled workers to sustain industrial expansion and national productivity growth,” he said.

Meanwhile, UWC Bhd deputy group chief operations officer Ng Sze Yen said the Academy in Industry (ADI) programme coordinated by MPC had proven effective in accelerating skilled workforce development in the manufacturing sector.

She said UWC, which was involved in manufacturing activities supporting the semiconductor, medical and telecommunications industries, had faced a labour shortage when its business expanded in the post-COVID-19 pandemic period in 2023.

“At that time, MPC coordinated the Academy in Factory (AIF) programme and UWC was among the participating factories. It was a new experience for us as the academy was implemented within the factory environment,” she said.

According to Ng, the programme provides opportunities for Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) graduates without industrial experience to venture into technical and engineering fields in a more structured manner.

She said UWC began with an intake of 12 participants in 2023, and the number had since grown to more than 100 in line with the company’s business expansion.

According to her, ADI graduates have an advantage over conventional academic pathways as they gain industry experience and learning simultaneously, enhancing their value, salary prospects and career advancement opportunities as engineers or assistant engineers.

-- BERNAMA