By Adam Azman
SHAH ALAM, Aug 11 — Selangor needs to map technical and vocational education and training (TVET) programmes to the needs of specific districts and industrial zones to ensure local talent is equipped with skills suited to available employment opportunities.
State executive councillor for human resources and poverty eradication Papparaidu Veraman said the approach would enable TVET courses to be tailored to industries operating in each locality, while helping more young people secure jobs within their respective areas.
"This strategy could also strengthen the role of TVET in reducing the state's reliance on foreign workers by developing a larger pool of skilled local workers.
"Most industries today are increasingly looking towards TVET. The market is there and the demand is there," he said at the Selangor State Legislative Assembly today.
He was responding to a question from Semenyih assemblyman Nushi Mahfodz on how TVET development could be used to reduce dependence on foreign workers and whether the state government had plans to map TVET courses according to districts and industrial zones.
Meanwhile, Papparaidu said Social Security Organisation (SOCSO) data showed that 10,111 TVET graduates in Selangor were registered as jobseekers between January and July 10, 2026.
During the same period, the state recorded 78,030 vacancies requiring diploma-level qualifications and above, including 3,965 high-skilled positions supporting strategic industries such as locomotives, semiconductors and manufacturing, as well as emerging fields related to artificial intelligence (AI).
Papparaidu said the state government, through the Selangor Career Programme, was also working with Socso via the MYFutureJobs platform to match jobseekers with employers based on their qualifications, skills and industry requirements.
"JobCare Selangor and Mega JobCare Selangor also provide direct interview opportunities for TVET graduates, helping them enter the workforce while enabling industries to secure the skilled manpower they require.
"TVET graduates could potentially move directly into employment after completing their training, highlighting the strong demand for technically skilled workers across various industries," he said.
