Selangor: The Selangor government will collaborate with the Education Ministry (MOE) and community colleges to develop a database of graduates from Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programmes.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the initiative, to be implemented through the Selangor Technical Skills Development Centre (STDC), aims to provide industry players and employers with easier access to information on skilled workers and human capital available in the state. Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari highlighted the Smart Selangor Technical and Professional Skills Initiative (IKTISASS), introduced in 2019, which enhances graduate capabilities in fields such as aerospace. The federal government complements this by offering aviation engineering courses through polytechnics.

Amirudin stated that there is a need for comprehensive collaboration, and through STDC, they will work with MOE and community colleges to create this database. This announcement was made during the state assembly sitting in response to a question from Dr Mohd Zamri Mohd Zainuldin (PN-Sungai Burong) regarding the existence of a skills-based database for TVET graduates.

The proposal to develop the database is set to be included in the upcoming state budget as part of Selangor’s initiatives for next year. Amirudin also mentioned the state’s efforts to make TVET a top choice among school leavers, despite challenges such as public perception.

Many still view a university education as the primary pathway to employment, relegating TVET to a secondary or fallback option within the education system. To change this mindset, the state government plans to collaborate with the State Education Department to introduce TVET-related career opportunities at the secondary school level next year.