KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - Media OutReach - 15 June 2020 - As Malaysia slowly emerges from the enforced lockdown period and into the recovery phase of the Movement Control Order (MCO), many Malaysians will be hoping that the economy will start to recover, too. However, recent data from the Department of Statistics indicates unfavourable conditions for the country's labour force in the coming months, especially for unemployment and retrenchment.

To boost opportunities for workers, Melewar Learning Resources, an education and training provider under the Melewar Group, has launched an employability programme, My EMPRO (Malaysia Employability Programme), which aims to equip Malaysians with sufficient skillsets, knowledge and education -- particularly around English proficiency, communication skills and soft skills -- to improve job prospects for either initial or re-employment. The programme is targeted at three groups: retrenched workers, unemployed graduates, and school leavers.

Melewar Learning Resources is a Master Licensee of Direct English programmes in partnership with the Linguaphone Group (UK), and a regional leader in English language learning and training.

Tunku Dato' Seri (Dr) Iskandar bin Tunku Abdullah, Group Executive Chairman of the Melewar Group, is enthusiastic about the initiative: "even back in 2011, we envisioned the importance of the English language in contributing towards human capital development when we partnered with Linguaphone Group. Today, that contribution is more important than ever as we get Malaysians back to work following the coronavirus crisis".

From an employer's perspective, poor English proficiency among workers and fresh graduates has been a common cause for concern. The 2019 Jobstreet Job Outlook Report found that 64% of Malaysian employers felt that poor command of English is one of the main reasons why fresh graduates are unemployed. A 2016 Global English and Work Study by the University of Cambridge found that 60% of Malaysian workers do not have the necessary English proficiency skills to take full advantage of their jobs. Another industry survey by Malaysia Employers Federation in 2016 indicated that 90% of Malaysian employers say that fresh graduates need to improve their English proficiency.

Dato' Satinah Syed Saleh, Director of Melewar Learning Resources, shares her excitement on the potential of My EMPRO in assisting jobseekers in their pursuit for successful employment: "Whether upskilling retrenched workers to re-join the labour force, or preparing fresh graduates and school leavers for the world of work, we are excited about the possibilities and potential of the My EMPRO programme to offer new opportunities for job-seekers".

My EMPRO is a 7-day course, featuring both general language learning as well as target-specific modules, taken from the Business English (Direct English, UK) course. The programme has 49 total contact hours and also covers other practical skills such as resume writing, interviewing, and social media for work purposes. Upon completion, participants are awarded the Certificate of Achievement (Direct English, UK), Certificate of Completion and the globally recognised Test Report from Linguaskill -- The English Proficiency Certification Test by Cambridge Assessment English.