Inaugural Trainees In Agilent Bio-Analytical Industry Development Program Complete Phase 1

Penang, 14 August 2012 - A government-industry collaboration to significantly increase the talent base in the field of biotechnology is off to a successful start. Participants in the Agilent Bio-analytical Industrial Development Program completed Phase 1 training and will receive their Industry Certificates in Biochemical Instrumentation and Lab Practices today.

The certificates are jointly awarded by Agilent and the Institute of Pharmaceutical and Nutraceutical Malaysia (IPHARM) for the successful completion of a four-month intensive training course on biochemical instrumentation, analysis techniques, research methodologies and product development.

The Agilent Bio-analytical Industry Development Program is open to high-achieving Malaysian science and engineering graduates as well as eligible employees of participating companies.

The Agilent BIDP is a public-private talent development initiative. A leading provider of bioanalytical instruments, Agilent developed the curriculum with IPHARM, and the support of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation and TalentCorp.

"Agilent shares a common desire with the government of Malaysia to realize the national agenda for biotechnology," said Dato' Gooi Soon Chai, president of Agilent Technologies Malaysia and Singapore. "Our partnership will create an enormous potential to accelerate the development of this field as the next engine of growth for the country."

The Agilent BIDP is intended to accelerate the development of the R&D talent pool for the bio-technology sector. It aims to enhance graduates' industry preparedness by providing greater exposure via formal classroom training and real-life projects with participating host companies, with oversight and funding provided by TalentCorp as part of its mandated strategic thrust under the Talent Roadmap 2020, recently launched by Prime Minister YAB Dato' Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak, to optimize Malaysian talent.

"Public-private sector collaborations like the Agilent BIDP enable our young Malaysian talent to take advantage of the exciting opportunities arising from new growth areas of the ETP," said Johan Mahmood Merican, chief executive officer of TalentCorp. "Initiatives like the Agilent BIDP focus on building a pipeline of talent, equipped with skills for the high income and higher value-added jobs of the future. It is TalentCorp's ambition to scale up programs such as BIDP in order to provide the talent needed by industry to continue growing and moving up the value chain."

The participants will now continue with the 20-month Phase 2 industrial attachment program, which requires them to work and learn at participating host companies by conducting research and development in the presence of established industry practitioners in their respective fields.

From the inaugural group, Agilent will host 12 of the 34 participants for Phase 2.

About Talent Corporation Malaysia Berhad (TalentCorp)
TalentCorp was established on 1 January 2011 under the Prime Minister’s Department to formulate and facilitate initiatives to address the availability of talent in line with the needs of the country’s economic transformation. Collaborating closely with relevant government agencies and employers in priority economic sectors, TalentCorp develops demand-driven initiatives focused on three strategic thrusts, specifically: optimize Malaysian talent, attract and facilitate global talent, and build networks of top talent.

About Agilent Technologies in Malaysia
Agilent Technologies, formerly a part of Hewlett-Packard, began operations in Penang, Malaysia, in 1972. Today, Agilent occupies a 42-acre manufacturing site in Bayan Lepas, with a workforce of about 3,000 employees. Equipped with world-class facilities, the site's core competencies include business unit management, research and development, supply chain management and manufacturing. Agilent’s sales offices in Penang and Petaling Jaya serve customers with a broad range of products and solutions.

About Agilent Technologies
Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) is the world's premier measurement company and a technology leader in chemical analysis, life sciences, diagnostics and genomics, and electronics and communications. The company's 20,000 employees serve customers in more than 100 countries. Agilent had net revenues of $6.6 billion in fiscal 2011. Information about Agilent is available at www.agilent.com.