The National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) launched a new programme that enables Malaysian graduates who are PTPTN borrowers to seek employment under a new collaboration between the student loan scheme and industry partners.

Named as the Job Matching PTPTN, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi launched the initiative on Thursday (Mar 8) as part of the agency’s 20th anniversary celebration in Cyberjaya. Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh and Higher Education Ministry secretary-general Tan Sri Noorul Ainur Mohd Nur were also reportedly present at the event.

Working on a collaborative initiative with Prestariang Berhad, PTPTN expected the Job Matching scheme will directly benefit its borrowers in looking for jobs or providing greater opportunities to elevate their employment value. To accommodate this purpose, the phase 1 of the collaboration will begin with Job Matching as the pilot programme that aims to up-skilling and re-skilling of current PTPTN borrowers.

Further, the programme will introduce PTPTN borrowers to the job markets through a ‘Place and Train’ model. This will include job matching to industry requirements through talent profiling and a series of soft skills and communications sharing, The Malay Mail Online reports.

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PTPTN chairman Datuk Shamsul Anuar Nasarah said the scheme is projected to improve employment opportunities which would ultimately benefit both job-seekers and employers, as business leaders will have easy and direct access to find suitable candidates.

Mr Nasarah said, “Job Matching is the first of its kind where our existing borrowers will first be provided with a job that matches to industry requirements through a stringent talent profiling and thereafter training to enhance their potentials and employability.”

“This will provide immediate job opportunities to seekers and vice versa, provide immediate suited talents to the employment market. This will set to increase employment rate and boost the country’s economy,” he added.

In the same event, the agency also unveiled EduCloud, a Single Services-Based Digital Platform to support Learning, Engagement and Innovation in Education in Malaysia and Asean. Prestariang Group Chief Executive Officer Abu Hasan Ismail said its latest offering via cloud computing was introduced under the Group’s successful transformation into a pioneering Technology & Talent player.

“We are pleased that this is our first project with PTPTN and they have trusted us to lead this initiative. Prestariang will host Job Matching under our end-to-end student digital engagement platform, Educloud,” he said.

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