It was launched today by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (centre), who said such talent enhancement programmes will be expanded in sectors including oil and gas, banking and information technology.

“If the capital market graduate programme can benefit 9,000 young people, the government is committed to implementing expansion to other sectors to help tens of thousands more new local talents,” he said at the launch.

He added that the graduates and students who follow industrial training (internship) will also be guaranteed to receive a minimum allowance payment.

Meanwhile, Security Commission Malaysia (SC) chairman Datuk Seri Awang Adek Hussin said this programme is to help address the mismatch of talent between graduates and the growing needs of the capital market industry, which is seeing the shift to the digital world.

“Investing for education and talent development is a priority agenda for the SC and talent cultivation is vital for an industry with high talent mobility like the capital market.

“Thus, it is crucial that the ‘last mile’ assistance be given to graduates to address this mismatch,” he said at the event.

The chosen graduates will be trained via job placements and on-the-job training, including one-month comprehensive classroom learning and six months of on-the-job placement at designated companies.

The programme is the first collaboration between the Finance Ministry (MoF), Higher Education Ministry (MoHE), and Bursa Malaysia worth RM 30 million, funded by the Capital Market Development Fund (CMDF).

“We hope this initiative will enhance the employability of graduates and enable them to seize the various job opportunities in the capital market,” he added.

In addition, the graduates will receive RM2,000 in allowance during their formal training and a minimum monthly stipend of RM2,400 during the on-the-job placement.

More than 70 companies from the capital market are participating in the investED Leadership Programme and will provide participating students with more than 200 job placements, including 150 permanent employment.