THE Penang government has initiated the Penang Internship Subsidy Programme (PISP) to attract talents to the state.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said a healthy talent pipeline is crucial to meet the heightened industrial demands in Penang.
“Holding on to that, the state has carried out various approaches in talent attraction and development with PISP being the most recent addition.
“We have continuously bolstered Penang’s welcoming and conducive environment for finding and retaining the right talent.
“Penang has recently announced its commendable manufacturing investment performance in 2021, reaching a record high of RM76.2 billion in total approved manufacturing investment inflows, according to data from the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida).
“Driven predominantly by foreign direct investments (FDIs), the investment projects obtained in 2021 are expected to generate 12,024 new job opportunities in the state.
“The rising trend in investment value per job created signifies that Penang is constantly attracting high value-added investments. This serves as a good omen for job seekers in securing high-income jobs,” he said in his speech during the PISP launching ceremony which was held virtually today.
Chow said Penang aspired to attract 150,000 knowledge workers over the next five years.
“The PISP is introduced to unlock vast career opportunities for talented individuals to experience Penang’s captivating live-work-play balanced lifestyle, complemented by the state’s vibrant arts and cultures, holistic green initiatives, strong digital connectivity as well as developed infrastructure and mobility,” he said.
Speaking of the PISP, Chow said the programme offered a monthly wage subsidy amounting to RM300 per intern for a maximum period of six months when companies recruit talent throughout 2022. In other words, qualified companies are eligible to claim up to RM1,800 per intern.
“The PISP is open for all Companies Commission of Malaysia-registered companies with a presence in Penang.
“The company must hire a minimum of three interns in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Accounting.
“On top of that, the hiring must be completed by 2022, with a minimum monthly allowance of RM1,200 per intern,” Chow said, adding that the state has approved an initial allocation of RM500,000 for the PISP.
He also introduced the steering committee members for the PISP, who are responsible for determining and improving the eligibility criteria, application process, method of allocation, evaluation, monitoring and other PISP-related terms and conditions.
The committee members are Chow as the PISP chairman, state Human Resources, Education, Science and Technology Committee chairman Prof Dr P. Ramasamy, Penang Entrepreneurial Development, Trade and Industry Committee chairman Datuk Abdul Halim Hussain, State Financial Officer Datuk Dr Mohamad Farazi Johari, and Datuk Seri Lee Kah Choon who is the special investment adviser to the Chief Minister of Penang.
Chow said that the state government is committed to deepening and broadening Penang’s talent pool through a variety of initiatives that are critical to attracting strategic investments.
“Besides PISP, we have other ongoing initiatives. They include the Penang Future Foundation’s scholarships for deserving students; affordable housing for knowledge workers; and collaborations with industry players, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions and institutions of higher learning, among others.
“Penang’s strong talent pool is one of the key competitive edges that the state values and will continue to uphold,” Chow said.
Meanwhile, Lee said that Penang must expand its talent pool to meet the growing demands of the industries.
Chow welcomed talents from all over Malaysia to come to Penang and experience what the state has to offer as the Silicon Valley of the East. He also urged all homegrown companies to take advantage of the opportunity and apply for the PISP.
“The companies are encouraged to absorb the interns as permanent employees upon the completion of their studies,” he said.
The application can now be made online via the Penang CAT Centre’s website. The deadline is Dec 31 this year.
Visit https://www.penangcatcentre.my/penang-internship-subsidy-programme-pisp/ for more details.
Story by Christopher Tan
Pix by Ahmad Adil Muhamad
Video by Muhamad Amir Irsyad Omar