Environmental Scan 2017: Human Capital Issues within the Medical Devices Sector
Recommendation 6
6
Promote continuous learning and upskilling to companies and industry
professionals
Recommended Actions
Stakeholder
E.O.I. IMPACT
M H
AMMI,
MARGMA H H
Industry,
MIDA,
Socso H H
AMMI,
MARGMA,
HRDF M H
To encourage training and upgrading of skills, which are becoming
increasingly important in the rapidly evolving industry, public and
private institutions of higher learning (IHLs) may consider to offer
lifelong learning scheme for the medical devices related courses.
Through this scheme, IHLs can provide better support to their
alumni by keeping them updated on the latest development within
the industry and providing the relevant courses for reskilling /
upskilling at a discounted course fee.
Initiative
6.1
The National University of Singapore (NUS) has recently developed
a program, called NUS Lifelong Learners, which all NUS alumni are
automatically eligible for continuing education and training (CET)
courses. For a start, NUS will draw up plans for each student's career
and learning path, for up to 20 years from the time he is admitted.
IHLs
Under this program, NUS Alumni can enjoy the privileged
opportunity to study up to a maximum of 2 modules over a 3-year
period. NUS will offer virtual vouchers to alumni to offset the cost
of one of its CET courses of their choosing.
To encourage all employees who are dealing with regulatory affairs
or internal quality audits to undergo training for ISO 13485:2016
and possess medical device auditor certification.
Initiative
6.2
Initiative
6.3
Initiative
6.4
Personnel in the company who are extremely well versed with the
regulatory environment can also become certified trainers through
HRDF’s Train The Trainer (TTT) program. They can then enable more
talents to become ISO 13485:2016 certified.
To encourage professionals or workers who are being retrenched
from other industry but with relevant skills and experience to
upskill themselves and join the medical devices industry. This can
be done by tapping on the database of the newly implemented
Employment Insurance System (EIS).
At the moment, companies have the misperception that the cost of
bringing in trainers from overseas are not covered under the HRDF
schemes and the high cost incurred for such training are hindering
them from planning a more effective training program for their
employees.
Industry associations can consolidate the training needs from
companies and work closely with HRDF on the subsidy to bring in
overseas experts to Malaysia to train the locals.
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