The ILO-led Skills for Prosperity Programme in Malaysia is making significant progress in its work in Sabah, where it will implement pilot initiatives to develop local networks of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) and two localised training models— one is an inclusive model which is more tailored to fit the needs of women, youth and other vulnerable groups, and another is a future-ready model which integrates general skills related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). It also plans similar activities for implementation in another underdeveloped state—Kedah. These initiatives are part of the programme’s larger vision to increase Malaysia’s national capacity for inclusive economic growth through skills and TVET system development.

Kuala Lumpur-based Senior Programme Officer Shaza Scherazade Alauddin Onn answers some key questions on these initiatives in Sabah, a state in East Malaysia located on the northern part of the island of Borneo.

As a Malaysian, what is your personal impression of Sabah?

Personally, I love Sabah because it is beautiful and has such a distinct and warm culture, different from Selangor where I was born. Sabah is rich in natural resources and is well-known for tourism. It has tremendous potential as a state, but there are significant challenges in terms of geographic barriers, infrastructure and economic gaps between districts, and what is more, it is one of the states hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Furthermore, a lot of talented young Sabahans, including some of my closest friends, have migrated to the Peninsular to find better opportunities and they've managed to build successful careers here (in the Peninsular).  So there is plenty of talent, but we need to find a way to carve out opportunities for them within the state itself.

Why has the programme chosen Sabah for the implementation of these pilot initiatives?

TVET and skills development is an important national agenda, but we feel that maximising its potential at the state level is key to creating real inclusive economic growth.  In Sabah, besides economic disparities, we find that there are further gaps in TVET and skills. In that, there are limited opportunities for many to progress to higher levels of training as access can be limited for those outside of Kota Kinabalu. Yet, we see great promise and support for improving the TVET/skills ecosystem at the state level, partly because of our partner's interest and commitment in making TVET/skills a bigger state agenda.

What does the programme plan to achieve through these initiatives in Sabah?

We intend to work with community leaders and representatives of target vulnerable groups, TVET/skills development institutions, industry, workers, government agencies and civil society organisations to build a sustainable local network that will play a vital role in identifying industry skills demand, facilitating training programmes and developing support structures for the programme’s target beneficiaries.

The important thing is that we want to work with local Sabahans, to support them in developing training models and platforms for policy dialogue on TVET and skills that work best for them.  Ultimately it's about Sabahans finding local solutions that fit their needs, and the ILO is only here to support and facilitate their efforts through our expertise in TVET and skills.

A key consideration, furthermore, is ensuring that these solutions, whether a TVET/skills network or training models for future-readiness and inclusiveness, are sustainable, replicable and scalable.  Our yardstick of success is having sustainable models that will thrive beyond the project.  So it is essential that ownership lies amongst Sabahans and that we provide them with tools, skills and know-how needed to make the models a success.  As a first step towards achieving this, we are finalising an implementation agreement with Sabah Skills & Technology Centre (SSTC), a state-based not-for-profit TVET institution and they will help carry out the activities mentioned with ILO's support.

Women in Malaysia have faced difficulties with job progression and barriers to entry or re-entry into the labour market. The country’s youth unemployment has been high. What are the factors that put women and young people in Sabah at a disadvantage compared to their peers in the more developed states?

In Sabah, the economic disparity between urban and rural areas is increasing and higher than in other developed states. Gender inequality is usually more prominent in rural and interior areas than the national average. For instance, women in rural areas have endured greater difficulty finding jobs; their unemployment rate was 4.5 per cent compared to 3.6 per cent for men according to a national study by Khazanah Research Institute.

Youth in rural Sabah, especially those not involved in education, employment or training (NEET), have faced even greater challenges. They usually have less information on career opportunities. A sizeable number of schools in Sabah still lack basic infrastructure including access to 24-hour electricity and water. Many schools do not have the facilities needed for effective study of science and mathematics. Students in rural areas do not have computers or access to science laboratories. These are some of the 'hardware' issues that young Sabahans face, but also consider the differences in terms of support structures available to them, like mentorship for young entrepreneurs or career guidance for young girls.

This is in part why our programme also focuses on women and youth who own small- and medium-sized enterprises in Sabah because they are among those employers who cannot easily become active participants in economic and skills development initiatives, despite the significant part that they play (in the economy).

Which other vulnerable groups is your programme reaching out to?

Besides women and youths, they are individuals from the bottom 40% (B40) of income distribution and persons with disabilities who face structural challenges. They have received no career guidance and have limited opportunities to access work-based learning.

Individuals in the B40 groups, particularly those from rural areas and indigenous groups in more remote areas, have the least opportunities for upward mobility in terms of income, skills and educational attainment.  Yet we feel that with simple technological solutions and more flexible training options we can help promote progress at the individual level.