PEKAN: The Youth and Sports Ministry is in the process of identifying National Youth Skills Institutes (IKBN) that can be upgraded to offer diploma courses to meet Industry Revolution 4.0 needs, said its minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.
He said that there are 22 IKBN throughout the country and that some of them had been identified for the purpose so that the graduates’ entry-level pay would be higher.
“Currently, the entry-level pay for IKBN leavers is between RM1,400 to RM1,600 ... if IKBN can be upgraded to National Youth Higher Skills Institutes (IKTBN), they (graduates) can secure starting pay of RM1,800 or RM1,900.
“That is why my ministry is making this effort ... before upgrading, we have to make sure the IKBN in question has the equipment and facilities necessary.
“... all these are part of the ministry’s efforts to prepare the youth to face the challenges of IR4.0.” he told reporters after opening IKBN Pekan’s Aircraft Structure Improvement Workshop here today.
Pekan IKBN is among those being considered for upgrading into IKTBN.
The minister said the course (Aircraft Structure Improvement) was very significant because Malaysia aims to be a key aerospace industry player.
He stressed that in the new world (IR4.0), expertise in automation, robotics, cloud computing, artificial intelligence and Internet of Things would be vital.
