ADI helps companies turn experienced workers into future leaders

Schott Glass Malaysia Sdn Bhd has joined the Malaysian government's Academy in Industry (ADI) programme to help its existing employees develop new skills to better prepare them for leadership roles. The HR manager, Suhaila Mustapha Kamal, explained that the 80% workplace-focused programme covers lean manufacturing, problem-solving, safety, and quality.

The remaining 20% involves theoretical training. By building on their employees' existing knowledge, Schott aims to enhance their competencies and prepare them for greater responsibilities. This approach benefits small and medium enterprises (SMEs) by addressing the challenge of finding skilled workers who can quickly adapt to their specific operations.

The programme helps SMEs bridge the gap between standard institutional education and real-world operations by embedding training directly into active industrial environments. Datuk William Ng, president of the Small and Medium Enterprises Association of Malaysia (Samenta), noted that SMEs often struggle to find workers with the right skills who can operate machinery, understand production processes, and meet business requirements.

The ADI programme enables SMEs to upskill candidates on the exact equipment, systems, and workflows used in their daily operations, thus reducing adjustment periods and minimising disruptions to businesses. Ng suggested introducing a dedicated low-bureaucracy portal and co-funding mechanisms or tax incentives to encourage more SMEs to participate in the programme.

Suhaila emphasized the importance of raising awareness and sharing experiences among companies participating in ADI, and providing additional support through incentives, implementation guidance, and advisory services to SMEs with smaller HR and learning and development teams.