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PENANG, 8 SEP 2024 – Penang officially launched its Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Talent Blueprint to address the need to build a long-term pipeline and skill development for Penang’s STEM workforce in support of the New Industrial Master Plan (NIMP) 2030 and the National Semiconductor Strategy (NSS).

Developed by Penang STEM Working Group, comprises InvestPenang, Penang Institute, Penang Skills Development Centre (PSDC), Motorola Solutions, Pentamaster, and Intel, the vision of this Blueprint is to build a highly skilled and sustainable STEM workforce to propel Penang towards long-term success in a rapidly evolving industrial and technological landscape. The mission incorporates the THRIVE principles (Transform, Hire, Retain, Invest, Value and Enable), emphasises collaboration across government agencies to implement policies and frameworks to support STEM development.

The key measurable targets for the STEM Talent Blueprint adopt the 2X strategy including doubling the number of STEM enrolment in secondary schools, university output for STEM, STEM-related Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) output and girls in STEM, alongside with doubling the number of high-value jobs.

In order to achieve these targets, this Blueprint adopts a holistic framework model to build a robust STEM talent pipeline from primary to post-tertiary education. The key elements for success are IGNITE, EMBED, IMMERSE, EMBRACE, and ENABLE. The Blueprint also proposes state and federal policy changes to include incentivise STEM and TVET as education and career options through tax relief, open up STEM jobs to international graduates, tax deduction for companies contributing to national talent nurturing in STEM learning and education, amongst others.

Launched by YAB Mr Chow Kon Yeow, Chief Minister of Penang at Tech Dome Penang, the Penang STEM Talent Blueprint aligns with one of the newly-launched NSS headline targets, aiming to train and upskill 60,000 high-skilled Malaysian engineers. With that, it was handed over to YB Senator Tengku Datuk Seri Utama Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) to be incorporated into the NSS and supported by the part of the RM25 billion allocated to operationalise the semiconductor strategies.

YAB Tuan Chow Kon Yeow, Chief Minister of Penang, stated, “We are confident that this Penang STEM Talent Blueprint will help contribute effectively towards the aspirations of the NSS, in particular with its Talent Vertical pillar, to ensure a steady flow of technical and engineering talents for the needs of Industry as the key objective under Phase I of the NSS is to attract at least RM500 billion of investments under Phase I of the NSS. For Penang in particular, it will help to address the prevailing talent gap issue which the country is now facing.”

The Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, YB Senator Tengku Datuk Seri Utama Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz said, “MITI welcomes the Penang State Government’s STEM Talent Blueprint to develop a robust industrial talent pipeline, and towards the successful implementation of the NIMP 2030 and the NSS. This whole-of-nation effort is crucial not only in nurturing the right skilled talent to match industry needs, but also in informing our potential investors that Malaysia is serious about facilitating their investments and addressing their talent needs. In short, this STEM Talent Blueprint will pave the way for making Malaysia a regional manufacturing and services hub, enforcing our value proposition that Malaysia is where global starts.”

As the leading investment destination for the semiconductor industry, Penang is committed to strengthen its position as a preferred location for high-tech industries, by developing a sustainable pipeline for STEM workforce in line with the NSS and NIMP 2030’s target to move up the value chain.

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About Penang STEM
Penang STEM is the umbrella organisation initiated by the Penang State Government to bring together 5 state-supported STEM learning organisations under a synergistic ecosystem offering a full range of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) programmes and activities to complement what are currently offered under the formal education curriculum in primary & secondary schools, vocational schools, colleges and universities. Explore more on our website www.penangstem.com.

About InvestPenang
InvestPenang is the Penang State Government’s principal agency for the promotion of investment. Its objectives are to develop and sustain Penang’s economy by enhancing and continuously supporting business activities in the State through foreign and local investments, including spawning viable new growth centers. To realise its objectives, InvestPenang also runs initiatives like the SMART Penang Center (providing assistance to SMEs), Penang CAT Center (for talent attraction and retention), and Global Business Services (GBS) Focus Group (promoting and developing digital economy). For more information, please visit https://investpenang.gov.my/ and follow InvestPenang’s social media channels: Facebook; LinkedIn; WhatsApp Channel.

About Penang Institute
Penang Institute is one of Malaysia’s major policy think tanks. Funded by the Penang state government, it was established in 1997 (as SERI, the Socio-economic and Environmental Research Institute), and underwent a name change in 2011 to Penang Institute. Penang Institute’s main aim is to provide strategic policy ideas that can help the Penang state government improve the economic and communal life of Penang society. With the tagline “Making Ideas Work”, Penang Institute focuses on bold and innovative thinking in academic disciplines and the policymaking sphere, as well as through its contribution to literature and culture, by way of events such as book launches, public seminars; as host of the annual George Town Literary Festival (GTLF); through its public policy brief, ISSUES and its newsletter PIN; through its renown magazine Penang Monthly and the Penang Book Prize; its Malay language platform Suara Nadi, its monthly podcasts, and through the books it publishes.
 
About Penang Skills Development Centre
The Penang Skills Development Centre (PSDC), a non-profit society was established in 1989 and is the first tripartite, industry-led, member-based skills training and education centre in Malaysia. Since its inception, the PSDC has grown phenomenally to become the premier learning institution in the country, training more than 257,000 participants and is dedicated to meet the immediate human resource needs of the business community. It has attained both national and international recognition as a truly successful example of shared learning and a model institution for human resource development to be emulated within and beyond Malaysia. Check out our website for more details www.psdc.org.my.

For media enquiries, please contact:

Penang STEM
Tharshenasri
pstem.sri@gmail.com
T: +604-373 0796

 
InvestPenang
Elaine Cheah/ Michelle Goy
elaine@investpenang.gov.my/ michelle@investpenang.gov.my
T: +604-646 8833