UWC Berhad recently received the prestigious PRISM Award in South Korea, cementing the company’s outstanding performance, ongoing advancement, and commendable contribution to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices.
The company, which specializes in the design, production, sales, and maintenance of semiconductor wafer processing equipment used in the fabrication of semiconductor devices, was among the top 15 manufacturers worldwide recognised with the Sustainability PRISM Award – Supply Chain. It honours suppliers’ commitment to sustainability, with award categories for leadership, innovation, and collaboration. UWC secured the top three award from among over 1000 suppliers globally.
In the aspect of collaboration, the award demonstrates UWC Berhad’s exemplary effort in engaging with various government organisations to build the company’s sustainable workforce. Through its talent development initiative, UWC Berhad champions the effort to bridge education disparities to foster talent by participating in the Academy in Industry (AiI) programme.
AiI, launched by the Government in August 2023, is a work-based programme at selected companies that aims to address challenges in building a pool of skilled and competent workers through a demand-driven approach focusing on market and industry needs. The goals are to manage the labour force shortage, raise Malaysia’s national education attainment, and boost the industry’s productivity.
The programme is expected to elevate the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) – based programmes to greater heights in mainstream education and build local talents for robust industrial development, especially for the manufacturing and manufacturing-related services sectors. AiI aligns with the aspirations of the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030) for more skilled workers and higher salaries for the rakyat.
Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC) and the Department of Skills Development (JPK) spearhead AiI implementation in collaboration with industry players and other government bodies. On 12 January 2022, UWC Berhad was recognised as the National Dual Training System (SLDN) Accredited Centre to implement AiI at its premises.
Ms Ng Sze Yen, UWC Berhad’s General Manager, said the company thanks MPC and JPK for the collaborative effort. “Big thanks to Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC) and the Department of Skills Development (JPK) for the Academy in Industry, AiI-SLDN talent development programme. This collaboration has led us to win a social responsibility award from among more than 1000 suppliers from the US, Netherlands, Germany, South Korea, Singapore, and Japan, at the PRISM Award in Korea.”
The AiI programme at UWC Berhad aligns with the company’s growth and development plan. Hiring and training skilled and semi-skilled labour are necessary to meet the company’s demand for growth. Through AiI, UWC Berhad has launched some initiatives to identify talents to fill positions as skilled and semi-skilled workers and has since become one of AiI’s main strategic partners.
At UWC Berhad, the AiI programme is implemented in Proses Kimpalan Gas Logam [MC-025-3:2012] and Proses Kimpalan Arka Gas Tungsten [MC-026-3:2012]. The company is in the process of adding AiI into Mechatronics skill areas.
MPC Director General, Encik Zahid Ismail, said that UWC Berhad’s talent development initiative is a noble effort to help Malaysian youth who do not have the opportunity to continue learning at the tertiary level.
“After completing the 18-month AiI programme, participants are equipped with industry experience and will receive Malaysian Skills Certificate (SKM) Level 3, charting their pathway for career and education advancement.”
“AiI participants are given incentives and paid as company’s employees, enabling them to have salaries and allowances.”
“Industry participation, such as from UWC Berhad, is crucial in building a large pool of talented individuals to fulfil the market’s future demand. With a large pool of competitive and skilled talent, Malaysia is well-positioned to adopt and adapt to the IR 4.0 technology revolution and fast-changing economic landscape.”
AiI is expected to contribute to the Government’s goals to increase the percentage of skilled workforce from 29.6% in 2021 to 35% by 2025. High-level skills empower workers to adapt to new technologies, ensuring relevance in the dynamic labour market. This requires a transformation in talent development efforts to offer more job-based skill opportunities to local talent.
AiI’s primary target is youth entering the workforce directly after completing the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM). One cohort of SPM leavers comprises an average of 400,000 students. Of these, 200,000 have the opportunity to pursue higher education, while the remaining 200,000, who do not continue their education, are AiI’s primary focus.
