Department of Health and Human Services

Behavioral and Developmental Services

Policy Manual - Vocational Policy

#01-CS-110

Issue: October 18, 2000

Background:
In the last decade many of the beliefs and perceptions about the capacities of people with
disabilities have been challenged through changing social policy and by people with disabilities
and their families. However, unemployment rates for people with disabilities are still four times
higher than those in the general population. Yet over 80% of those same people say they want
to work. It is difficult to understand these statistics when our economy is strong and many
employers are experiencing increasing difficulty in recruiting and retraining employees.

Despite our best intentions, some of the specially designed programs have isolated many
people with disabilities from their communities. Therefore, full integration has, for many, not
been realized. In this culture, work is often the vehicle for such integration to occur- jobs bring
opportunities to make friends, money earned brings opportunities for choices regarding where
to live and play and with what supports.

The role of vocational services is to provide people with disabilities the supports and strategies
whereby they can develop meaningful and productive vocational roles in their communities.
Providers of these services should build mutually beneficial relationships with businesses to
move away from dependency-based human service approaches and perspectives and to move
to naturally occurring interactions.

Policy Statement:
It is the intent of the Department of Behavioral and Developmental Services (BDS) to have
work and career as a focus of services that lead to the desired integration of the people it
serves. Exploring employment as a goal with each client it serves is paramount to
comprehensive planning and service provision.

Vocational services must be based on a well defined vocational service plan that focuses on
the individual's particular strengths, needs and choices and is developed through a regularly
scheduled, individualized planning process.

Principles:*

Vocational services must have as core values rehabilitative, recovery-based and/or social-role
valorization* approaches leading to continued and full inclusion into employment settings for
the people served. In order to achieve this goal, the following principles will guide
development:

1. Persons who express a desire to work will be presumed able to work and planning will be
individualized to the person's desired quality of life.

2. Assessment of a person's need will be driven from an approach that starts with the person's
capabilities and adds supports to promote the person's development.

3. Services will be designed to be the most enhancing for the individual, and will promote
inclusion in communities.

4. All employment support will include an emphasis on the development and utilization of
natural supports and will be delivered from a perspective of the whole person.
 5. Quality improvement and service accountability will be driven by these principles; that
considers elements of service provision (outlined below), employment outcomes; and the
satisfaction of the individual.

6. All other applicable/licensing/accreditation requirements remain in effect.

* Social-role valorization is the use of culturally valued means in order to enable, establish and
maintain valued social roles for people. (revised 11/13/00)

Service Provision Elements:

Organizational Elements (Management/Customer Relationship)

Seeks multi-source funding for employment programming

Facilitates collaborative/partnership approaches

Provides flexibility of employment support strategies (regardless of program model)

Integrates cultural competence throughout the organization

Provides ongoing staff training and development

Includes people with disabilities in the governance of the organization

Conducts outcomes evaluation and customer satisfaction surveys (employers and

employment services users)

Service Delivery Elements (Service Provider/Customer Relationship)

Integrates customer choice and self-determination

Facilitates job search for integrated, inclusive, competitive (e.g., not sheltered) employment
opportunities with variety in both industry type and types of jobs

Assists people in securing employment opportunities that provide more than minimum
wage, with benefits and opportunities for career growth

Provides an individualized, person-centered and collaborative approach to job development

and securing employment

Provides skills training for customers to promote communications with employers about
disability related issues in the workplace

Provides supports for customer decisions about managing benefits

Provides ongoing educational support for career development and general skills building

Provides long term supports and facilitates natural supports

Assists people in developing individual and group support networks (clinicians, case
managers, family, peers)

Employer Elements (Provider/Employer Relationships)

Develops and maintains ongoing communications and relationships with employers

 Conducts activities that promote corporate commitment to hiring people with disabilities

Conducts ongoing research of the local employment market

Responds to employer needs to facilitate maintaining employment of people with disabilities

Provides opportunities for employer education and technical assistance concerning

maintaining employment of people with disabilities

NOTE: Providers who do not meet these service elements should submit strategic plans
that provide evidence of movement in these directions.

__________________________ October 18, 2000

Lynn F. Duby, Commissioner Date

Vocational Education & Training

:: Policy ::

EI's policy on vocational education and training (VET) is mostly shaped by the various resolutions
passed by the consecutive World Congresses since 1995. EI believes that educational institutions at
all levels must provide individuals with a range of knowlegde and skills that allow them to not only
pursue meaningful work, but also participate fully in all aspects of social life.

This comprehensive approach is today being challenged, in particular by globalisation and the
emergence of the so-called knowledge-based economy. In response to these challenges, EI was
mandated in 2004 to form a task force on VET in an effort to begin the process of developing
comprehensive policy on the sector. At the fifth World Congress in Berlin in July 2007, a resolution
on VET was adopted that underlined many of the themes identified by the task force.

The task force completed its initial work in 2006 and 2007, by developing a set of guidelines on the
cross-border provision of VET. These guidelines are intended to address and counter-balance the
threats posed by trade and investment agreements not only to the jobs and living standards of staff
employed in the sector, but also to the quality of the education and training VET students receive.

Currently, EI focuses on promoting these guidelines to prevent the inclusion of VET in trade
negotiations such as the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). As VET is a sector under
constant reform, EI is further developing a comprehensive policy package on VET for staff employed
in the sector.

World Congress Resolutions:

[2007-07-26] Resolution on vocational education and training

[2004-07-24] Resolution on Vocational Education
[1998-07-29] Resolution on Vocational Education and Training
[1995-07-23] Resolution on Youth Training and Entry into Employment

Others:

[2007] Guidelines on the Cross-Border Provision of Vocational Education and Training

THE CHANGING NATIONAL ECONOMIC PROFILE OF MALAYSIA AND
CHALLENGES FOR HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

The economic profile of Malaysia has changed from an economy mainly based on
agriculture and the production of tin ore to a more balanced economy with continuing
growth in the manufacturing and industrial sectors. In line with the sectorial changes in
the economy, job opportunities and human resource development plans have accordingly
been reviewed. There is a need to upgrade and improve educational programmes, in
particular the direction and development of technical and vocational education. As the
continued expansion and technological needs of the manufacturing and industrial sectors
progress there is a corresponding demand for technical and vocation education to meet
both its quantitative and qualitative targets.

TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION IN MALAYSIA

The technical and vocational education system has responded accordingly. The
tremendous growth in facilities is in accordance with the increasing demand in the
manufacturing and industrial sectors. With the growth of the polytechnics and the
technical and vocational schools Malaysia has been relatively successful in overcoming
various issues in technical and vocational education commonly encountered by many
developing countries. The uplifting of image of vocational education is due to the
corresponding increasing importance of employment in the industrial sectors, the efforts
at promoting vocational education by the government and the changing nature of
vocational education programmes. In Malaysia, vocational education has progressed from
very basic craft training of a narrow psychomotor nature to vocational education of today
which encompasses high cognitive knowledge, the study of mathematics and the sciences
and most importantly, is not terminal in nature.

The Government of Malaysia has noted the increasing importance of technical and
vocational education and training and has involved itself very actively in the continued
development of its programmes. A Cabinet Committee was established to conduct a
comprehensive assessment of the needs of vocational education and to overcome the
shortage of skilled manpower. In order to further strengthen the current educational and
training delivery system and to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of skills training
in the country, several broad policy reforms were recommended and at present is being
implemented. It is recognised that the industrial and manufacturing sectors are important
for the continued fast growth of Malaysia and the country cannot afford to have skill
bottlenecks that may slow down economic development.
CASE STUDIES ON POLICIES TO PROMOTE CLOSE LINKAGES
BETWEEN TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
AND INDUSTRIES

It has been recognised that it is important for close linkages between technical and
vocational education institutions and industries. Towards this direction, the Ministry of
Education has initiated several programmes promoting these linkages. Such linkages
were further strengthened with the introduction of the Time Sector Privatisation Policy
plan (TSP). It is recognised that there are periods when facilities in training institutions
are under-utilised, especially during after schooling hours and institutional term holidays.
These time sectors represents periods where training facilities can be utilised by
industries and the general public under a privatisation concept where fees are charged
to cover usage and maintenance of the relevant facilities involved. Guidelines for the
implementation of various types of TSP programmes have been formulated and several
such projects have been successfully implemented. Three such programmes are selected
as specific case studies for this UNEVOC project. The first programme is a joint training
project between the secondary vocational schools and SHELL Petroleum Company for
the training of highly skilled welder who can weld to a welding position of 6GR. SHELL
assisted in upgrading the facilities and equipment at the selected vocational schools.
Selected vocational school instructors were given additional training in the SHELL
welding section in their industrial plant. The second is a joint programme between
another secondary vocational school and EON/PROTON, the national car manufacturer,
to train motor mechanics specially to fit the needs and requirements of servicing and
maintenance PROTON cars. The third programme is the TECHNOSCHOOL, between a
polytechnic and the Matsushita Electric Motor (M) Sdn. Bhd., a Japanese manufacturer.
The TECHNOSCHOOL was specially set up using the polytechnic lecturers to conduct
an in-house designed programme to upgrade the staff of the Matsushita Electric Motor
company.

The TSP programmes have been very successful in promoting and strengthening linkages
between technical and vocational institutions and industries in Malaysia. In all cases both
parties involved benefited. The TSP policy was able to provide a vehicle for the
implementation of programs that improved linkages with industries. It established a
symbiotic relationship between technical and vocational education institutions and
industries. In Malaysia it has served to further strengthened the institutional-industry
linkages.

MEMBER ECONOMY REPORT: MALAYSIA

Vocational and Skills Training Policies and Development for the
Long Term

The report outlines the Kuala Lumpur Action Programme on Skills

 Development, Malaysia's long-term policy directions for its vocational and skills
training system in order to meet the changes in the labour market and global
environment.

The Action Programme aims to contribute to sustainable growth and equitable

development while reducing economic disparities and improving the social well-
being of the people through skills upgrading/improvement; to encourage greater
participation of the private sector in skills development in APEC and to serve as a
significant inroad into public-business through collaborative partnership in skills
development. Its strategic focus is on upgrading the industrial skills base; spawning
new entrepreneurs; technology skills for the new millennium and the strengthening
of the based on international infrastructure to facilitate trade and investment
liberalization.

Global economy is currently characterized by changes in the demand pattern

from resource-based, non-processed or semi-processed products to technology -
intensive goods; rise of new products/materials brought about by technological
explosion and telecommunications; tertiarisation of industry resulting from new
technologies; expansion of the service and manufacturing sectors; and globalization
of production based on international division of labour.

As a result of these trends, Malaysia cannot rely anymore on abundant

natural resources and cheap labour to achieve its vision. The paper expounds on
Malaysia's need to diversify its manufacturing base through technological upgrading
of products and processes; assimilation and adaption of new technologies;
widespread use of automation and precision technologies and adoption of more
value-added manufacturing processes. Similarly, these trends will require new
skills; the use of sophisticated technologies; flexible and multi-skilled workers; and
more technicians, engineers and managers in the future. Necessarily, there will be
a marked shift from functional to strategic management.

Malaysia's vocational training policy directions are geared towards the

development of a strong human resources base long-term economic growth and
global competition by upgrading and expanding the education and training system
and by promoting greater private sector participation in human resource
development. The Report of Cabinet Committee on Training (1991) called for
improving responsiveness of public training to market demands; expanding private
sector role and the strengthening linkages between training and technological
change as mean for improving Malaysia's competitiveness in the world market.

*Presentation slides of the Report of Malaysia: Vocational and Skills Training Policies and
Development for the Long Term which was presented during the APEC Forum on Human
Resources Development (Vocational Training Policies for the 21st Century) from July 13-15,
1999 in Chiba, Japan.

Objective of Paper: Implications of Global Trends in

To present Malaysia's long-term
policy directions for its vocational and skill
training system to meet changes in the
labour market and global environment.
Industrialisation on Malaysia's
Industrialisation
* Cannot rely on abundant natural resources
and cheap labour to achieve Vision 2020
* Need to diversify manufacturing base:
- technological upgrading of products
Outline of Presentation:
I. Kuala Lumpur Action Programme on
Skills Development
II. Global Trends in Industrialization and
Implicaions on Human Resources
III. Malaysia's Growth Prospect
IV. Vocational Training Policy Directions
V. Vocational Training Delivery System
Kuala Lumpur Action Programme on
Skills Development
* To Contribute to sustainable growth and
equitable development while reducing
economic disparities and improving the
social well-being of the people through
skills upgrading / improvement
* To encourage greater participation of the
private / business sector in skills
development in APEC
* Serve as a significant inroad into public
business collaborrative partnership in skills
development
Strategic Focus
* Upgradign the industrial skills base
* Spawning new entrepreneurs
* Technology skills for the new millenium
* Strengthening institutional infrastructure
to facilitate trade and investment
liberalisation
Global Trends in Industrialization
* Changes in demand pattern from
resource- based, non-processed of semi-
processed products to technology-intensive
goods
* Technological explosion such as in IT
and telecommunicatins giving rise to new
products materials
* Tertiarisation of industry as a result of
new technologies leading to expansion of
the service and manufacturing sectors
* Globalisation of production based on
international division of labour with
developed countries producing high-tech
products and developing coutries into
assembly-type operations
and
processes
- assimilation and adaption of new
technologies
- widespread use of automation and
precision technologies
- more value-added manufacturing
process
Implications on Human Resources
* New skills requirements with the use of
sophisticated technologies:
- IT skills
- automation and robotics
- advanced materials technology
* Flexible and multi-skilled workers
* technicians, engineers and managers
* Shift from functional to strategic management
Vocational Training Policy Directions
Principal thrust of human resource
development policy is to developa strong
human resource base for long-term economic
growth and global competitionthrough:
* Upgrading and expanding the education and
training system
* Promoting greater private sector participation
in human resource development
Report of Cabinet Committee on Training
(1991) Policy Reforms
1 ) Improving Responsiveness of Public
Training
to Market Demands
2 ) Expanding Private Sector Role
3 ) Strengthening Linkages Between Training
and
Technological Change
1 ) Improving the Responsiveness of Public
Training to Market Demand
- Establishing Feedback Mechanisms
- Greater Flexiblity in Management of
Education and Training Institutes
- Attracting and Retaining Quality Trainers/
Instructors
- Fuller Utilisation of Education and
Training
Institutes
- Corporations of Training Institutes
 Vision 2020
Ultimate Objective
To be a fully developed nation in all
aspects by year 2020
Economically, socially, politically,
spiritually and psychologically
- Constant Review of Course Design and
Curriculum
- Wider Dissemination of Labor Market
Information
2 ) Expanding the Role of Private Sector
- Increasig Collaboration with the Private
Sector
- Improving Incentives for Training
- Establishing Specialist Training Centers

3 ) Strengthening Linkages Between Training and Technological Change

- Establishing Centers of Excellence

- Expanding the Accreditation of Skills
- Establishing a National Information
Technology Council

CONCLUSION:

* Priority attention will be given to creating a pool of trained and qualified skilled workforce
* Greater private sector participation in vocational and skills development to complement public
sector initiatives