PUTRAJAYA: Polytechnics and Community Colleges must become more practical by implementing global best practices to address actual industry and community requirements.
Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir emphasised this necessity during the Polytechnic Industry Advisory Council meeting and dialogue session organised by the Department of Polytechnic and Community College Education.
The department stated that this gathering provided a strategic platform for educational institutions and industries to maintain the relevance of academic programmes, skills training, and talent development for graduates.
“It is in line with the needs of the current job market and the aspirations of Malaysia MADANI, which emphasises the development of competitive, inclusive and value-based human capital,” it said.
Nine major industry clusters participated in the meeting, covering manufacturing, logistics, agriculture, digitalisation, and petrochemical engineering sectors.
Electrical and electronics, tourism and hospitality, environment, social and corporate governance, and accreditation bodies also joined the discussion.
This year’s meeting theme focused on generating smart workforce for the MADANI economy through polytechnic-industry collaboration.
The department explained that the programme reflected the ministry’s primary focus for this year on preparing the nation’s best talents.
“Various matters were raised during the dialogue session, including issues and challenges in graduate marketability and initiatives to strengthen cooperation between JPPKK and MPIP through the Industry Resolution: MPIP 2025,” the statement said.
Former council chairman Tan Sri Sufri Mohamad Zain received recognition as the Work-Based Learning Icon for 2024 during the event.
UEM Edgenta Berhad and Global Rail Sdn Bhd both received the Outstanding Industry Mentorship award for their contributions.
The ceremony included the appointment of three new council members and the launch of two publications showcasing successful industry-polytechnic collaborations.
These books highlighted Work-Based Learning success stories with industry partners including PKT Logistics since 2012. – Bernama