Accept fresh ideas from youths: Khairy

PUTRAJAYA: Industries have to practise the 'meritocracy of ideas' culture in order to close the gap between experienced and fresh workers.
Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin (pix) said accepting fresh ideas from the youths is an integral role for industries to remain relevant in today's world.
"We must get rid of the culture of ideas hierarchy and practice meritocracy of ideas.
"The ideas shouldn't necessarily come from the top management, it can be from young officers or anybody who works in the office," he told a press conference following the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between his ministry and DRB-Hicom here today.
He said since heading the Youth and Sports Ministry from 2013, he has changed the mindset to accept ideas from anyone to ensure the ministry's objective is achieved.
"The ideas can come from anyone, if there are good ideas from talks, meetings or town halls, the idea will be put forward for us to implement," he said.
DRB-HICOM group managing director Datuk Seri Syed Faisal Albar Syed Ali Rethza Albar, who was also present, said employers need to find a new method to change the working environment in order to attract young people.
"Young people tend to ask a lot, go to work with shirts untucked, they are different," he added.
But employers, he said, need to note that big companies like Microsoft, Apple, Alibaba, Walt Disney and Google got some of their brilliant ideas from the younger generation.
The MoU provides for the placing of about 100 National Youth Skills Institute (IKBN) students for industrial training at DRB-HICOM or any of its subsidiaries.