KBS allocates RM25.5 mln to upgrade ICT infrastructure at ILKBS

PUTRAJAYA: The Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) has allocated RM25.5 million for the 2021-2025 period to upgrade information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure for the modernisation of Youth and Sports Skills Training Institutes (ILKBS).

Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu said it also aimed to support the ILKBS digitilisation initiative to meet the needs of Industry 4.0 as well as the gig economy by 2025.

"It is hoped that more ILKBS graduates will be in the national workforce, especially jobs in high demand such as artificial intelligence specialists, robotics engineers, data scientists and other fields that can generate income and improve the economy of youths," he said in his speech for the ILKBS 2020/2021 awards presentation ceremony here, today.

The text of his speech was read out by Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker.

According to Ahmad Faizal, KBS will also strengthen the entrepreneurial skills element for the students with the addition of various new elements such as digital entrepreneurship through cooperation with the Malaysian Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) and the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives (MEDAC).

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Apart from that, he said the ministry would also strengthen industry collaboration to ensure KBS Technical Education and Vocational Training (TVET) remained competitive, viable and the choice of employers in line with the National TVET Council's (MTVET) proposal to strengthen the field through three strategic thrusts, namely integrated governance, TVET shaping the future and industry-driven TVET.

"Through TVET empowerment efforts, ILKBS implement various initiatives to provide skilled manpower for the needs of industry.

"From 2016-2020, ILKBS trained 42,636 youths, namely 24,005 people through full-time programmes and 18,631 people via short-term training programmes," he said.

For the 2021-2025 period, he said, KBS would continue to be committed to improving the quality of graduates with an average salary target of RM1,800 to RM2,000 through industry-based TVET and digitilisation empowerment initiatives.

At the ceremony, 65 individuals received awards in seven categories including the Special Award of the Minister of Youth and Sports 2020/2021, Best ILKBS Award 2020 and Best Graduate Award 2020/2021.

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Also celebrated were 25 trainees from the autism group who completed their autism youth skills training last year, involving culinary and information technology at selected National Youth Higher Skills Institutes (IKTBN) and Rimau Cafe, KBS.

ILKBS 2020 Best Overall Graduate Award recipient Zahra Labelle Zee Yulo, 24, a former student at IKTBN Bukit Mertajam, Penang described her success as a self -satisfaction after not achieving excellent results in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination.

"My mother suggested that I join IKTBN. Alhamdulillah (thanks to Allah), I received a lot of exposure and participated in various courses and seminars under IKTBN, "said the Universiti Malaysia Perlis student.

Meanwhile, the recipient of the ILKBS 2020 Best Overall Graduate Award, Jumain Thambrin Loly, 21, from the National Youth Skills Institute (IKBN) Pekan, said the award motivated him to achieve more success in the future.

"Hopefully, this success will also help me venture into related fields, namely aircraft structure repair, as I learned at IKBN," said the young Sabahan who is now active in the field of welfare with the state's youths.

-- BERNAMA