Around the world, effort is being made to improve the employability of workers, their career mobility and increasing the productivity of enterprises through better quality and relevant training. The millennials now face a challenge where they need to become familiar with new technologies and cope with rapidly changing workplaces in order to stay relevant and productive.

15 July has been declared as the World Youth Skills Day by the United Nations, at its General Assembly in November 2014. This day seeks to generate greater awareness of and discussion on the importance of technical, vocational education, and training and the development of other skills relevant to both local and global economies and to help reduce unemployment and underemployment among the youth across the globe. It will also highlight youth skills development to draw attention to the critical need for marketable skills. Brunei Darussalam who has been a member of World Skills International since 2004 will also be part of the global community celebrating this event.

IBTE, Providing the skills.

Since revamping its technical education system to stay relevant and responsive to the social and economic needs of the country, IBTE in its capacity as the nation’s provider for technical and vocational education plays a main role in providing skills training for the nation’s youths equipping them with skills required for the jobs of today and those of tomorrow. By having the necessary skills, young people are able to not only make informed life and work choices but also empower them to make a smooth transition to work.

During an interview, two IBTE graduates share the importance of skills and education and how, equipped with the knowledge and training they obtained from technical education, has propelled them to be as successful as they are now.

Emirates Employee

Mohd Hanafi bin Hamdan, a graduate from the BDTVEC National Diploma in Travel and Tourism, MTSSR chose to enroll in this program because he believes that this field has the potential to diversify and develop the nation’s economy from relying on the Oil and Gas industry. His passion and determination to prove that the future is bright in this field motivated him to work hard. In a dynamic course such as travel and tourism, creativity is a must where students are encouraged to move out of their comfort zone and to think out of the box especially on how to market Brunei’s hidden wonders.

The skills acquired through projects such as tour guiding gave Mohd Hanafi the confidence to communicate and express his creativity which allowed him to have a different perspective on the travel and tourism industry. Two months after completing his studies, he was employed by a company under Royal Brunei for six months before landing a job with Emirates Airlines, one of the world’s top ranking airline companies. Mohd Hanafi hopes to continue working with Emirates and to use the knowledge and experience gained to help develop the tourism industry in Brunei.

From Graduate to Entrepreneur

Running a business is not a venture to be taken lightly. It requires dedication, hard work and determination. Zamri Bin Muhamad, a Wasan Vocational School graduate from BDTVEC National Diploma in Fisheries programme labored hard to build his company, SEASTAR Company which specializes in operating small scale fish cages. The young entrepreneur was recently awarded the BEDB Micro Grant under the Youth Entrepreneurship Development Programme (YEDP) where Zamri aims to use this opportunity to further expand his fish cage business. He believes that theory and practice goes together as this combination promotes better understanding of the subject matter. Through his training in Wasan, Zamri was able to utilize the skills in his business such as cultivating fish in a floating cage. He advise students who are interested to pursue technical programmes to put aside any negative view others may have of the system and instead focus on the benefits one can reap from technical training which teaches skills that open doors to gainful employment in both public and private sector including entrepreneurs.

Moving forward

A skillful workforce is the key to securing the socio-economic development of a country. Technical education and training in Brunei has proven to produce successful graduates who are skillful, marketable and has the potential to bring Brunei closer to realize its National Vision 2035.