Does vocational training meet the construction industry needs in Malaysia? Feedback from ex‐trainees of the basic electrical wiring course from one training institution

Malaysia has been facing a shortage of construction craftworkers since the late 1980s. This is despite the fact that various public vocational training institutes have been established by the government ever since independence. This study aims to determine whether ex‐trainees of National Youth Skills Institutes (NYSIs) in the One Phase Electrical Wiring course had joined the construction industry to determine whether the shortage is in any way contributed by them. The reasons why they took up the course and why they chose to work as electricians were among the specific matters that were looked into to help in understanding their industry choice.

Data were collected through postal questionnaire survey.

The study found that half of the respondents joined the construction industry, the other half in other economic sectors.

The sample was confined to those who had undertaken the One Phase Electrical Wiring course. It was also limited to one training institution. Other stakeholders were excluded from the study.

The paper makes recommendations as to what the NYSI administration might want to consider doing in terms of promoting the course.

The paper adds to the knowledge of electrical course ex‐trainees about what they thought about their course, in which economic sectors they chose to work and the reasons behind their selection.