THE Penang government has been shaping the young and preparing them for the future, as they would be the ones meeting the goals of Penang2030.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the state understood that future generation would be the one meeting those goals.
“Collaborations between the state and the industries are ongoing in Penang, especially in promoting STEM (Science, technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education.
“The programmes are reaching out to more students over the years. Schools are also using allocations from the state to set up MakerLabs.
“The initiatives we have done in Penang have inspired the Federal Government.
“It is important for the Federal Government to take note of the concern over talent supply to meet the needs of the country and of the future,” Chow said during the American Malaysian Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) dialogue at E&O Hotel Penang today.
Speaking at the Penang Dialogue 2019 Global Shifts: Penang’s Resilience, Chow said he believed that the collaboration between the industries, academia and talent training institutions was strong.
“I believe that the industries have been successful in convincing the Government to relook into some of the courses offered by universities; whether the courses meet the needs of the industry, especially in terms of technology,” Chow said.
Chow also said the dialogue by AMCHAM signified a strong testimony that Penang remained a vital destination of choice for investment for many United States (US) multinational companies.
“The theme ‘Global Shifts: Penang’s Resilience’ is apt as it sets the tone for all stakeholders to exchange ideas and re-evaluate their respective strategies moving forward as the world is at the cusp of many developments.
“Through investPenang, the state government will continue to focus on attracting high quality investments that emphasize on cutting-edge technologies and skilled talents.
“The state through the Penang Future Foundation scholarship programme awards outstanding Malaysians in the field of studies that are well demanded by our industries and services sectors.
“We have also established the Penang i4.0 seed fund for high potential technology startups to increase participation in the Industry Revolution 4.0 and the digital economy,” Chow said.
The US ambassador to Malaysia Kamala Shirin Lakhdhir said the dialogue was very dynamic and engaging; focusing on global supply chain, environment and the global economic environment.
“There are a lot of debates about what’s happening in the world. Penang has a chance to take advantage of the opportunity to prepare for some of the things that may be challenging and difficult.
“There are great talents and leaderships here, but it will also take a lot of hard work to sail this ship through choppy waters,” she said in her speech.
Lakhdhir said the dialogue ‘forced’ everyone to think differently and ahead.
Also present were AMCHAM Malaysia executive director Siobhan Das, AMCHAM Malaysian American Electronics Industry Committee chairman Datuk Seri Wong Siew Hai, investPenang director Datuk Seri Lee Kah Choon and investPenang chief executive officer Datuk Loo Lee Lian.
Story by Christopher Tan
Pix by Noor Siti Nabilah Noorazis
Video by Law Suun Ting