GEORGE TOWN: The Industry-Infused Programme (IIP), which started at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), will be expanded to other universities to develop highly skilled graduates.
Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the IIP would be able to increase the marketability of graduates because it is designed based on an approach focused on learning at university.
Apart from that, he said, the IIP would also provide practical exposure to the industry as well as give students the opportunity to continue working with the industry with a premium salary, particularly a starting salary of more than RM4,000 upon completion of studies.
"The ministry wants to ensure that IIP becomes a national platform provided by universities in collaboration with the industry so that the training programme created at the end of their studies are in line with the needs of the industry before they are absorbed into the working world.
"We also want to see this IIP expanded to other universities and also other sectors, including bio-technology and medicine," he told a press conference after visiting Oppstar Berhad at the I2U Sains @ USM Building here today.
Khaled said the IIP, currently led by USM, emphasised the development of talent in the electrical and electronic (E&E) sector.
He said USM had collaborated with Oppstar, which is one of the incubator companies at Sains@Usm, and it became the pioneer company in the country that started the integrated circuit design incubation programme at the university.
''The ministry agrees to give USM a role to lead this industrial training platform in the field of E&E.
"It will involve about 4,000 students from all public and private universities in Malaysia every year to ensure they are prepared and highly skilled to enter the industrial market," he added.
Meanwhile, Khaled said the E&E sector in this country needed at least 6,500 skilled engineers to accommodate the development of the industry for the next five years.
''This programme also attracts the interest of several other industry players such as Skyechip, National Instruments, Advantest, Efinix, Infinecs, StarFive and Infineon to implement the IIP.
"Currently, there are 18 companies interested in implementing this IIP. Students will be paid RM1,500 to RM2,000 while doing the final year project," he said.