PETALING JAYA: Some 160 bumiputra graduates from eight higher education institutions (HEIs) will receive entrepreneurship training through a special programme, says Datuk Dr Noraini Ahmad (pic).

       The Higher Education Minister said through the Tube@IPT programme, the bumiputra graduates will receive training involving areas such as management, finance, digital marketing and provision with a BissCounselor who will provide business-related expert advisory services.

       The graduates will be trained and observed for a period of 12 months, she said.

       “Funds totalling RM15,000 will be provided for each participant to assist them in starting their business.

       “Additionally, 32 HEI staff will be trained under the Training of Trainers programme to become BissCounselors,” she said during the launch of the Tube8.0 programme on Thursday (Sept 30) and the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the eight HEIs and SME Corporation Malaysia to implement the Tube@IPT programme.

       The Tube8.0 programme is a collaboration with the Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Ministry.

       She said strategic mitigation measures and careful planning are essential to minimise the negative impacts of the pandemic on graduates.

       More than 300,000 students, she said, will be graduating from local universities and will face an uncertain economic climate due to Covid-19.

       “Among the best solutions is to emphasise entrepreneurship as their main choice of work.

       “This field not only has great potential to offer good income, but it can also create jobs for other individuals or even allow them to become ‘job creators’ if the business is successful.

       “This cooperation is focused on the field of entrepreneurship and on enhancing graduates’ marketability, which, in my opinion, is an important agenda for the government, especially in the current climate due to the pandemic,” she added.