Selangor, 19 August 2020 – Malaysian Bioeconomy Development Corporation Sdn Bhd (Bioeconomy Corporation) is urging the bio-based and biotechnology workforce to get their skills recognised and certified through the Recognition of Prior Achievement (PPT)–Malaysian Skills Certificate (SKM) (PPT-SKM) programme, so they can attract potential employers and compete in the challenging job market due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The programme is conducted together with the Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Puncak Alam and the Department of Skills Development (JPK) under the Ministry of Human Resources to recognise professional careers and certify individuals with expertise in certain fields.
According to Bioeconomy Corporation’s Acting Chief Executive Officer En. Mohd Khairul Fidzal Abdul Razak, JPK has set a target of 100 applications for recognition and certification of skills in the bio-based and biotechnology fields through the PPT-SKM programme for the year 2020. “This programme is very important to upgrade the level of skills in the bio-based and biotechnology industries based on the National Occupational Skills Standard (NOSS), so that the skilled manpower in these industries can remain relevant and competitive locally and globally. The PPT-SKM programme also allows an organisation to be highly productive and visible thanks to its skilled manpower that is recognised by the Government. For individuals, their certified skills and expertise can make them stand out in the challenging post-COVID-19 job market to help them further their education, get job promotions and get better job offers with more competitive salaries. Skills like these can also be an attraction for prospective employers who are in need of highly trained and skilled experts, especially in those in the bio-based and biotechnology fields,” he added.
More than 200 participants attended the PPT-SKM briefing session which was conducted by Bioeconomy Corporation on 11 August in Shah Alam and 13 August in Putrajaya. Participants were briefed on the initiatives offered by the Government through JPK to strengthen the level of human capital skills in the fields of biotechnology and bio-based in Malaysia. The briefing held on 11 August was also conducted with Bioeconomy Corporation’s strategic partner, the Faculty of Pharmacy, UiTM Puncak Alam.
During the briefing on 11 August, the Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy, UiTM Puncak Alam, Associate Prof. Dr. Shariza Sahudin remarked that the recognition of skills is an important branding. “The development needs of an employee are not only important to meet the needs of the organisation but also for the retention and efficiency of the employee. In fact, research has stated that 90% of employees will stay with an organisation if it invests in their career development,” said Dr. Shariza in her speech.
Through the two briefings, participants were encouraged to register for PPT-SKM applications. Participants consisted of senior officers, research officers, lecturers, support officers, technical and administrative officers from public institutions of higher learning, research institutes, and industry players such as UiTM, Universiti Selangor (Unisel), Universiti Malaya (UM), International University of Malaya -Wales (IUMW), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM), SIRIM, Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM), and the Malaysian Nuclear Agency.
