CYBERJAYA, 18 July 2023 – The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, YB Chang Lih Kang announced that a total of 192 graduates have successfully obtained job placements in 25 biotechnology and bio-based companies through the BioAgrotech & BioPharmaceutical Employability and Entrepreneurship Specialised Training (BeST 2.0) programme from 2021 until 2023 under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP). The programme is implemented by the Malaysian Bioeconomy Development Corporation (Bioeconomy Corporation) through the BioAcademy initiative, which aims to “PLACE-TRAIN-HIRE” graduates as knowledge workers in the biotechnology and bio-based industries.
YB Chang Lih Kang is confident that programmes under BioAcademy including BeST 2.0 can contribute to increasing job opportunities and reducing unemployment, while promoting modern technology application and rapid economic growth in Malaysia. Furthermore, the programmes will lead to producing more knowledgeable workers as well as competitive bio-entrepreneurs who are ready for the global market. “The BeST 2.0 programme aims to place 600 graduates in high-knowledge and high-income jobs in the biotechnology sector throughout the 12MP programme. The success of BeST 2.0 is a positive step towards closing the skills gap between local graduates and the workforce, which is a common challenge in the biotechnology and bio-based industries in Malaysia.”
“This programme is also poised to form a highly skilled workforce that are able to fulfill the needs and fill in the vacancies in the biotechnology and bio-based industries, in line with the National Biotechnology Policy 2.0 which is aimed at developing an efficient and adaptive workforce and talents for the biotechnology industry in Malaysia,” he said during the Appreciation Dinner for BeST 2.0 Participants and Industry Players at Dash Box Hotel, Cyberjaya, tonight.
According to Chief Executive Officer of Bioeconomy Corporation, En Mohd Khairul Fidzal Abdul Razak, the solid collaboration established with 25 biotechnology and bio-based companies is the main key to BeST 2.0 programme’s success. “For the first intake of BeST 2.0 in 2021, these host companies have absorbed 93% (59 out of 63 people) of the graduates as permanent employees. The great support provided by industry players, including BioNexus Status and Bio-based Accelerator companies, has made it easier for Bioeconomy Corporation to successfully match biotechnology and bio-based graduates with the skills and academic qualifications required by companies in these industries.”
“We wish to expand our collaboration and implementation of BioAcademy programmes to train and produce more young bio-entrepreneurs who will commercialise Malaysia research and development (R&D) in the biotechnology and bio-based industries to the local and global markets, in line with the mySTI programme. Thus, this effort will create more job opportunities in technology-based industries,” added En Khairul.
Through BeST 2.0 programme, local and international graduates and graduands are placed as apprentices in biotechnology and bio-based host companies, including those in the bioagriculture and biopharmaceutical sectors. The participants undergo trainings related to soft and technical skills, as well as industry-work experience for six months before they are offered permanent positions either in the placement companies or other companies.
For the second intake of BeST 2.0 which began in March 2023, 44 graduates are currently undergoing work placements at their respective host companies until September 2023.
The third intake which started in July 2023 has attracted 45 graduates who are currently undergoing soft and technical training at Rekascape, Cyberjaya for one month before being placed in host companies.
Following this, the fourth recruitment of 40 graduates under BeST 2.0 has been finalised and they will begin training and receive work placements in August 2023.
The BeST 2.0 programme is approved by the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) under the Twelfth Malaysia Plan (12MP) and supported by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI). BeST 2.0 is a sequel to the BeST 1.0 programme that was launched in 2007 to ensure continuity in producing highly skilled human capital that contributes to the development and advancement of the biotechnology and bio-based industries. For more information, visit https://bioacademy.my
