TM's Future Skills Programme Nurtures Young Tech Talent

GEORGE TOWN, Sept 14 (Bernama) -- TM's Future Skills Programme, organised by Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM), has nurtured highly skilled young talents by giving them early exposure to advanced technologies such as AI, robotics, coding and 3D printing.

TM Group chief executive officer Datuk Amar Huzaimi Md Deris said the programme, first implemented at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama (SMKA) (P) Al-Mashoor last year, has shown an encouraging impact and results.

He said students as young as 15 (Form Three) are capable not only of developing applications to streamline school management, but also of proposing technology-based solutions to address community and environmental issues.

"The syllabus is truly unique in that we adapt future technology-based modules from the university level, simplifying them to suit school students and make them easy to understand.

"This early exposure is important so that when they move on to higher education, it will no longer feel awkward or like a 'culture shock'," he told reporters after a progress visit in conjunction with the visit of Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan at SMKA (P) Al-Mashoor today.

One hundred students and five teachers at the school have undergone STEM and digital skills training.

The school is also equipped with a TMFS Digital Hub featuring 10 high-performance laptops, STEM kits, drones and a 3D printer to support coding, robotics, 3D design and project-based learning.

Amar Huzaimi said the TM Future Skills programme is being rolled out across 35 schools nationwide, involving more than 23,600 students and nearly 2,100 educators, with the potential to benefit up to 60,000 students, including those in nearby satellite schools.

Meanwhile, SMKA (P) Al-Mashoor principal Ustazah Rosmiza Ahmad said the programme has helped students become more confident in trying new things, more active in their learning, and fostered a greater interest in science and technology.

"Exposure of this kind also helps to build critical thinking, creativity, communication and collaboration among students," she said.