Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) has many benefits when it comes to youths with an overwhelming amount of options to choose from after finishing secondary education.
TVET institutions are geared towards equipping students with practical experience and technical skills in a specific field.
Programmes in TVET institutions offer a variety of courses, ranging from welding to business administration so students can choose a course they’re interested in.
Graduates from TVET institutions are highly sought after by employers because they don’t require as much job training as university graduates because they already have experience from being on the field during their learning period.
TVET institutions also have a lower tuition fee, making the financial burden lighter on those who can’t afford to attend other tertiary institutions.
For students interested in hands-on learning experiences, TVET institutions are a good option.
Youths in Sarawak can attend the Centre of Technical Excellence Sarawak (CENTEXS) if they intend on pursuing technical education.
CENTEXS aims to train and upskill the youth of Sarawak in the oil and gas, electrical and port, hospitality and tourism, textile & heritage, digital and construction industries.
CEO Haji Syeed Mohd Hussien bin Wan Abdul Rahman says that the institute has trained more than 3,000 students throughout the state since its inception in 2014, and will continue to do so.
The institution offers 49 programmes currently, with 50 more in planning. These courses are tailored to suit the needs of Sarawak as a whole, as well as the industries and the local community in particular.
Alongside the Sarawak Digital Economy initiative that was launched in 2017, CENTEXS partnered with Huawei to offer courses in assisting the building of the digital infrastructure of the state.
Some of these specialised courses include wireless, microwave, fibre, data centre, telecom energy hardware installation, mobile application development and others.
These courses are certified by Huawei, while the mobile application development course is certified by Android Advanced Training Consultants.
As the digital economy grows to become a core component of everyday life, cybersecurity is an increasingly important matter.
In the future, CENTEXS hopes to add more programmes focusing on cybersecurity with the help of Huawei and other collaborators such as IBM and Microsoft.
In an effort to preserve the rich history of Sarawak’s handicrafts, CENTEXS is collaborating with Old Kuching Smart Heritage (OKSHe) to offer heritage training.
The handicraft course runs a full-time workshop for six months, and an incubator project focusing on Keringkam embroidery and Sarawak woven songket.
As the handicraft industry is facing challenges in a time of modernisation and urbanisation, it is important to preserve such traditions to remember Sarawak’s culture and history.
CENTEXS will expand its reach further, with campuses in Lawas, Dalat, Betong, Lundu and Mukah planned to open within the year.
With free registration, loans from the Sarawak Foundation available to the eligible, living allowance and dormitories provided, CENTEXS provides opportunities for all learners.
As the state’s economic development ramps up, CENTEXS will continue to produce skilled workers needed to undertake this monumental task.
Read more: Figuring out if TVET is for you
Read more: TVET vs University Education
Read more: Debunking Misconceptions About TVET
All file photos from RAKAN Sarawak.
