Malaysia’s Unemployment Rate Falls to 2.9 Per Cent, Driven by TVET Success

LABIS, July 2 — The national unemployment rate experienced a notable decline, dropping to 2.9 per cent last year compared to the 3.2 per cent recorded in 2024.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi revealed that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had shared these latest statistics during yesterday’s Cabinet meeting in Putrajaya.

Ahmad Zahid, who also serves as the Minister of Rural and Regional Development, attributed this positive economic trajectory to the government’s steadfast commitment to nurturing skilled talent through Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) initiatives.

“There used to be unemployment, now there are job opportunities, many of them in technical fields, with training provided by TVET institutions.

“This shows that our efforts to develop a skilled technical workforce have borne fruit,” he said while officiating the Johor state-level Community Development Department (Kemas) Skills Day today. The event was also attended by Kemas director-general Datuk Mohd Hanafiah Man.

Exceptional Employability and Skill Development

Speaking in his capacity as the National TVET Council chairman, Ahmad Zahid highlighted that the employability rate among graduates from TVET institutions under Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) has reached an outstanding 99.5 per cent. He noted that alongside standard TVET channels, Kemas has played a vital role in building a skilled local workforce by providing specialized courses in sewing, cooking, hairdressing, makeup, and computer literacy.

In addition to traditional job placement, the Deputy Prime Minister urged future TVET graduates to actively venture into entrepreneurship to create independent economic opportunities.

“These statistics and success are the result of our commitment, through the ministry, relevant departments, agencies and agency subsidiaries, to sincerely and diligently plan for the well-being of the people,” he added.

Moving forward, Ahmad Zahid requested that Kemas draft a comprehensive briefing paper outlining the department’s various milestones and achievements, to be formally presented to the Cabinet for the information of Federal ministers.

-NMT