-Bernama filepic
KUALA LUMPUR: The National Training Week (NTW) 2024 has already accumulated over 65,000 free training courses and 280,000 enrolments on its third day.
Human Resources Minister Steven Sim (pic) said he was happy with the achievement of the event organised by the Human Resource Development Corporation (HRD Corp).
In conjunction with NTW 2024, HRD Corp also organised the Neurodiversity Inclusion Impact programme at the Malaysia International Trade & Exhibition Centre (Mitec) here on Thursday (June 27).
It promotes inclusivity by providing neurodivergent individuals (those on the autism spectrum or whose brains process information differently) with a platform to upskill themselves and connect with job opportunities.
At the same time, the workshops at the event aim to equip participants with the knowledge and practical tools to support and advocate for neurodiversity inclusion.
The event was graced by Tunku Tun Aminah binti Sultan Ibrahim, HRD Corp chairman Datuk Abu Huraira and HRD Corp chief executive Datuk Wira Shahul Dawood.
Some 200 attendees were present including representatives from various industries, neurodiversity practitioners, academia, NGOs, as well as neurodivergent individuals and their parents.
The programme is a part of the broader NTW 2024 initiative, which offers over 60,000 free courses to more than 200,000 Malaysians nationwide.
In his speech, Sim congratulated HRD Corp for carrying out the OKU Talent Enhancement Programme (OTEP) last year.
A total of 30 neurodivergent talents were trained and 15 received employment from big employers that included RHB Bank and Aeon, he noted.
“Drawing on the success of the pilot programme, HRD Corp will allocate RM2mil to train more persons with disabilities (PWDs) including neurodivergent talents in the next year.
“Every Malaysian deserves the right to achieve their dreams regardless of their background.
“The government Is determined to uphold this principle, and the ministry is going all out to ensure that Malaysians are given skills training to surmount challenges in their professional and private lives,” he said.
At the event, HRD Corp presented 13 certificates of appreciation to participating employers and training providers such as Aeon Co (M) Bhd, Witprise Sdn Bhd, Exchange 106 and 99 Speedmart Sdn Bhd.
Four seminars were also held for a total of 100 participants comprising neurodivergent individuals, their parents and caregivers, employers and associations, community leaders and policymakers.
The seminars encompassed a range of topics including breaking bias in the workplace, digital skills classes for special-needs individuals, the roles and support of a job coach, as well as Cognitive and Social Intelligence (CSI).
NTW 2024 will culminate in a two-day training event at Bukit Jalil National Stadium here on Saturday and Sunday (June 29 and 30).
This weekend's event will feature a variety of activities such as Pancasains by Petrosains, EV Experience by Proton, Sports Clinic, a Lego Competition, a book fair by Bookxcess and the MYFUTUREJOBS Career Fair, among others.
