{
  "id": 4995775,
  "title": "Even those in their 40s can earn professional qualifications through ADI",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/02/even-those-in-their-40s-can-earn-professional-qualifications-through",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-02T02:23:47.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2026/09/1523991/even-those-their-40s-can-earn-professional-qualifications-through-adi"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Elderly workers, even those in their forties, can secure professional qualifications through the Academy in Industry (ADI) programme, according to Ascott International Malaysia Sdn Bhd. Despite leaving school with only a Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia certificate decades ago, these professionals can gain formal qualifications without sacrificing their jobs or income. The programme, designed to accommodate employees' work schedules, allows participants to complete six modules over a year, with training hours integrated into their regular work hours. Ascott's director of Learning and Development, Reuben Chen, emphasized the pride older employees feel upon graduating, as they never imagined they could one day wear a robe and mortar board and attend a convocation. The modules cover topics such as workplace safety, presentation skills, brand standards, and a growth mindset, with participants assessed on their ability to apply their newfound knowledge to their jobs. At the programme's conclusion, participants deliver a final presentation before a panel of assessors from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. The ADI initiative not only helps improve staff retention and equips new workers in the hospitality industry with relevant skills but also addresses the financial pressures faced by young Malaysians who enter the workforce immediately after secondary school.",
  "summary": "KUALA LUMPUR: You’re never too old to earn a qualification, even if you left school with only a Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia certificate decades ago.",
  "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."
}