ALOR STAR: The state government is establishing the Kedah Talent Development Fund and Kedah Internship Programme in collaboration with industry players and investors to create a large pool of skilled manpower, an official said.
State Industry and Investment, Higher Education and Science Committee chairman Dr. Haim Hilman Abdullah stated that the initiative aims to ensure a steady supply of skilled human capital to meet the long-term needs of the industry.
"We have mobilised efforts to collaborate with industry players in Kedah.
They (multinational corporations) are enjoying huge tax incentives from the government and as they are advancing and prospering in Kedah, we wish to work together with them to set up the Kedah Talent Development Fund," Haim said.
"By doing so, we will be able to start talent development programmes right from pre-school, schools and up to university levels."
"If we have that, we will be able to tailor-make the needs of the industry with the supply of human capital churned out from our education system," Haim said in response to a question from (Perikatan Nasional-Kupang) Datuk Najmi Ahmad in the State Assembly at Wisma Darul Aman today.
Haim added that the state government is also working on setting up the Kedah Internship Programme, also in collaboration with the industry players.
"Through this programme, we wish to place our students on an internship programme with the industry players," he said.
"By doing so, the industry players may employ the best talents from the internship programme."
Haim said the state is also setting up the Kedah High-Impact Apprenticeship Programme with industry players to send local students for internship abroad.
"We are not just focusing on attracting investments, but we want to make sure our youths are benefiting directly from our industrialisation," he said.
The Jitra assemblyman also informed the House that the state government has set a target to double industrial land size in the state from 36,000 acres (14,568 hectares) to 72,000 acres (nearly 30,000 hectares) by 2050.
"Following the success of Kulim Hi-Tech Park, we are now focusing on developing Kulim Industrial Corridor.
"For this, we are working with private companies that own lands surrounding KHTP to develop the Kulim Industrial Corridor, and I am confident it will replicate KHTP's success, as we have earmarked Kulim as the prime mover of Kedah's economic rejuvenation," he said.