Thousands of young people are set to benefit from a new partnership aiming to give them a brighter future in Malaysia.
AIMSMET Lifestyle Services is offering apprenticeships for school leavers, with more than 80 ‘earn as you learn’ places being sponsored by global firms such as Starbucks and McDonald’s.
Learners spend one day per week studying for an ICM qualification in Business, Management or Hospitality at the University of Cyberjaya, whilst working with one of 30 industry leaders in Malaysia.
The ICM courses are also providing learners with the opportunity to improve their English language skills, whilst gaining qualifications that will, hopefully, advance their career prospects in sectors such as hospitality, the digital economy and client services.
ICM’s CEO, Adair Ford, joined 80 learners, their parents, educationalists and industry figures at a conference in Cyberjaya, which learned of recent moves to improve people’s life chances in the country.
Mr Ford also visited Malaysia’s Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs, his Honourable Excellency YB Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution, who has enthusiastically backed the partnership and signed off the launch of the project at a meeting in his office.
ICM has extended its reach into numerous countries and helped thousands of people achieve their goals and pursue meaningful careers. The latest move into Malaysia has seen 80 learners undertake ICM qualifications in its first year, with a predicted 500 learners set to embark on ICM programmes there next year.
ICM’s invitation to meet the Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs was very welcome; it gave Mr Ford the chance to learn about the fresh drive of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Malaysia’s Prime Minister, to provide technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in the country from 2021 until 2031.
Mr Ford said: “At the conference, we heard from one of the learners, Low Gi Yi, who has been promoted from a cashier to a restaurant supervisor and is now telling her boss how to make the restaurant better!
“It was so nice to hear of the benefit of this partnership to her, and how much she respected her tutor, Kingsley. I very much enjoyed hearing about her journey and I’m delighted to be able to support her in her learning.
“ICM is pleased to be able to partner with AIMSMET Lifestyle Services to provide an opportunity for people to learn key skills in the workplace, whilst working towards a formal ICM qualification.”
