IND-E-ZONE Launched To Improve Graduate Employability

Enhancing career services at public universities through industry and academia collaboration

Kuala Lumpur, 12 November – As part of measures driven by Talent Corporation Malaysia Berhad (TalentCorp) to enhance graduate employability, the first Industry Engagement Zone (Ind-E-Zone) career services centre was launched today by YB Dato Seri Idris bin Jusoh, Minister of Education II at the Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia, with more to be rolled out this year throughout Malaysia.

In the recent Budget 2015 speech, YAB Prime Minister had called for greater industry academia collaboration towards developing industry ready graduates. Further, the recent World Bank’s Malaysian Economic Monitor June 2014 which highlighted the need to improve the capacity and effectiveness of career services offices to prepare students for the job search process. In line with this, Ind-E-Zone brings together universities and leading employers, to enhance career services at public universities by providing students greater awareness of career opportunities arising from the Economic Transformation Programme and of the expectations of employers.

Designed to be a dedicated area within university campuses, Ind-E-Zone is a one-stop career information centre which will connect students to industry-relevant content and educate them on internship and career opportunities within Malaysia’s key industries. The centre will also offer a range of activities such as Industry Engagements, Networking Sessions, Career Talks (C-Talks) and Sharing Sessions to help young Malaysian talent secure a career of choice.

  “Malaysia is a demographically young nation, with a strong talent pool, a stable economy, and real and growing professional opportunities,” said Minister of Education II, Dato' Seri Idris bin Jusoh. “By building better and closer partnerships between employers, universities and the Government, we can collectively ensure Malaysia has the steady stream of industry-ready graduates that its bright economic future requires.”

The Ind-E-Zone is part of the Industry Academia Collaboration programme announced in Budget 2015. Under the Industry Academia Collaboration, TalentCorp and Ministry of Education will partner to implement further initiatives, focusing especially on embedding industry relevant curriculum and improving industrial training for graduates.

  “While the Government is driving the shift towards raising the quality of education in Malaysia, more can – and should – be done by universities and companies to collaboratively nurture industry-ready graduates,” said Johan Mahmood Merican, CEO of TalentCorp. “Ind-E-Zone provides an ideal platform for employers to engage students on the exciting career opportunities available, and to also educate them on industry expectations of graduate skills, knowledge, and experience.”

To date, 11 public universities have been identified by TalentCorp to host additional Ind-E-Zone centres including Universiti Malaya (UM), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UNIMAP) and Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI).

For more information on TalentCorp and its efforts to enhance graduate employability, please visit www.talentcorp.com.my