PSDC GDVT ENGAGEMENT SESSION & INDUSTRY DIALOGUE WITH YAB CHIEF MINISTER OF PENANG

SPEECH BY CHIEF MINSITER OF PENANG

AT PSDC GDVT ENGAGEMENT SESSION & INDUSTRY DIALOGUE WITH YAB CHIEF MINISTER OF PENANG

4 December 2018 | 11.30 am | PSDC

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I am very pleased to be here with all of you today. First and foremost, I would like to extend my appreciation to His Excellency Count Nikolaus Graf Lambsdorff, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany for coming all the way from Kuala Lumpur to join us in this special session. We really appreciate the commitment of the German Government in supporting this initiative.

I would also like to thank the PSDC and the Malaysian-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MGCC) for initiating this GDVT Engagement and Industry Dialogue session. This is the second engagement that we are having this year. I believe constant engagement and consultation with our stakeholders is not only necessary but is a critical factor in ensuring the consistent growth of the business environment in Penang. This is a platform for the Industry, the State Government, and the accreditation bodies to connect and have a meaningful discussion so I look forward to hearing more from all of you during the dialogue session later this afternoon.

The State Government recognises the importance of talent development in sustaining and accelerating Penang’s economic growth. As such, we have been actively involved in driving the GDVT program together with the PSDC since the initial stages. The RM2 million allocation from the State Government to sponsor the course fees between RM3,000 to RM4,000 per student will see creation of 500 – 600 skilled talents through close partnership with PSDC and the industry. On top of that, we have also made available financial provisions for marketing and promotional activities to raise awareness and promote GDVT to school students.

We do believe that the GDVT program is one of the most effective and sustainable way to create a multi-skilled future workforce for the Industry as shared by Encik Muhamed Ali earlier. We are making good progress in this program and, we can certainly do more with your support and commitment to build and strengthen our talent pool in Penang for the industries in Penang. I was informed that in this year alone, we launched 2 new specialised GDVT programs, namely the Electronics in Automation Technology Program under the Technical track and the Industrial Management Program under the Commercial track, on top of the existing Mechatronics Program. I also had the privilege of witnessing the graduation of the first 2 batches of apprentices from the Mechatronics Program earlier in July.

I am also very pleased to know that the Host Companies have not only improved the talent retention of their existing employees through this program, but they are also successfully developing a consistent supply of technically-competent future employees in their talent pipeline. I would like to encourage the companies here today that have yet to sign up to capitalise on the availability of such a special program here in Penang and duly consider its benefits, especially as you hear the testimonies of the Host Companies. The State Government is committed to work with the Industry and all the stakeholders to make GDVT a success and to support your talent development needs. By working closely together, I trust that we can create and sustain a healthy and thriving business ecosystem in Penang.

Thank you.