{
  "id": 16458896,
  "title": "Zahid outlines 3 TVET initiatives for rural youth",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/25/zahid-outlines-3-tvet-initiatives-for-rural-youth",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-25T09:11:39.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2026/10/1563234/zahid-outlines-3-tvet-initiatives-rural-youth"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Deputy Prime Minister Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has unveiled three TVET initiatives aimed at developing skilled workers and entrepreneurs among rural youth. These initiatives - the TVET Premium Career Agreement, TVET Jana Desa, and Smart and Green TVET Workshops - will be rolled out in phases. The TVET Premium Career Agreement seeks to establish early partnerships with employers, ensuring trainees enroll in programs that align with their career goals and offer competitive salaries. Industry experts will collaborate with educational institutions to refine curricula and assessments, ensuring graduates meet labor market demands. Zahid highlighted the second initiative, TVET Jana Desa, which targets graduates capable of establishing technical businesses and generating employment within their districts. Fields like agricultural machinery maintenance and pump systems were identified for potential economic growth in areas like Sungai Besar. Graduates will receive business guidance, financing access, and market opportunities to transform their technical skills into job-creating enterprises. The Smart and Green TVET Workshops initiative establishes collaborative spaces within TVET institutions for trainees, instructors, and industry players to create practical technological solutions. Projects being considered include machine monitoring, AI-based automation, and energy efficiency to boost rural entrepreneurs' productivity and curb operating costs. These initiatives align with the 2027 Budget target of placing 1,000 Bumiputera youths in high-growth sectors via Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) and enhancing wiring repair skills in 20,000 low-income homes. The Ministry of Rural and Regional Development, along with implementing agencies and industry partners, will outline the participating institutions, financing mechanisms, and performance metrics to gauge the initiatives' impact and ensure benefits reach the intended target groups. Zahid urged youth to carefully select their TVET fields of study, hone their expertise, and maintain workplace integrity, while also encouraging parents to support their children in pursuing TVET as a pathway to their futures.",
  "summary": "SUNGAI BESAR: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has outlined three technical and vocational education and training (TVET) initiatives to produce skilled workers and entrepreneurs among rural youth.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}