TVET graduates to earn premium salaries of up to RM4,000 - Ahmad Zahid

He said the salary range was higher than the current minimum wage of RM1,500 set by the government, and that the decision aimed to attract more TVET graduates to work in relevant sectors.

"We have established a memorandum of agreement (MoA) with employers (government-linked companies and private sector) where the premium salary exceeds the minimum wage set by the Ministry of Human Resources (MOHR).

“This will make it more appealing for TVET graduates to work in certain sectors," he said after chairing the MTVET meeting and an engagement session with 66 government-linked and private companies alongside 12 TVET-related ministries here,4 today.

The companies that signed the MoA include Cypark Sdn Bhd, Penang Port Sdn Bhd, and Khazanah Nasional Bhd.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also the chairman of the National TVET Council, emphasised that the salary determination was not based on employer associations or factory associations, but rather on an agreement between TVET institutions and companies offering the premium salary.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid said MTVET had agreed to have the Malaysia Board of Technologists (MBoT) recognise Malaysian Skills Certificate (SKM) holders at levels six to eight as equivalent to a first-class bachelor's degree. Those who graduate with SKM level eight will earn the title of Professional Technologist (Ts).

He noted that this marks a significant shift in the TVET education ecosystem. SKM levels one and two will be equivalent to the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM), while SKM levels three to five will be recognised as equivalent to a diploma.

Ahmad Zahid also mentioned that individuals with SKM level five could apply for university admission without the need for an SPM certificate. Universities involved in this scheme include Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL), Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM), Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM), Universiti Malaysia Pahang, and Universiti Malaysia Perlis.

-- BERNAMA