Skilling for Job: A Grounded Theory of Vocational Training at Industrial Training Institutes of Malaysia

Abstract

Malaysia emphasizes towards a higher incomes developed nation by the year 2020. Towards this end, Malaysia will require skilled and semi-skilled workers to fill jobs in certain industries to support the country's development process. However, recent statistics show that only 28 percent of workers in Malaysia are included in the category of skilled and semi-skilled jobs. This shows that our country is lagging far behind other developed countries show the percentage of skilled and semi-skilled workers more than 50 percent. Previous studies have shown that there is an issue that skills gaps between skills required by industry and skills are trained in the training institution. Thus, this research explores the formation of skilled workers in industrial training institutes that support the creation of skilled and semi- skilled. Qualitative study using grounded theory methods are reaching theoretical saturation data when the sample reached 32 respondents. Data obtained using interviews, observations and document analysis and analyzed using open and selective coding process using NVivo. The results showed that the skilling for job is a main concern faced by the respondents. To support the formation of skills for employment of trainees should have some trainee characteristic that fit for upskilling process.