PETALING JAYA, Oct 2 (Bernama) -- CelcomDigi Berhad today launched the next chapter of its CD:NXT talent development initiative, with the introduction of Campus@CelcomDigi, alongside its Young Talent Programme (YTP) and Certifications Programme to strengthen industry-academia collaboration and prepare Malaysian talents for the digital economy.
The initiative was officiated by the director-general of the Ministry of Higher Education, Professor Datuk Dr Azlinda Azman, on behalf of the Minister of Higher Education, Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir.
Azlinda said closer collaboration between universities and industry was crucial to ensuring students gain meaningful exposure to real-world challenges before entering the workforce.
“Malaysian talents need real opportunities to apply what they learn, engage with real-world challenges and gain meaningful exposure to industry before they graduate. This is why industry-academia collaboration is so important,” she said in her speech at the CelcomDigi Tower here today.
Malaysia’s higher education agenda places strong emphasis on producing future-ready graduates, particularly as artificial intelligence (AI), automation and other emerging technologies continue to reshape the way people work and live.
Azlinda said Campus@CelcomDigi represented the next step in strengthening the relationship between universities and industry by allowing students to work on real business challenges, receive industry mentorship and gain structured workplace experience while still pursuing their studies.
“Through initiatives such as this, students can gain earlier and more continuous exposure to industry, while universities and industry can work together to ensure the skills developed remain relevant to the needs of the future workforce,” she said.
The initiative involves Universiti Malaya (UM), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) and HELP University, providing students with practical industry exposure during their studies.
Meanwhile, CelcomDigi chief executive officer Albern Murty said the company’s commitment to talent development is driven by its belief that Malaysian students need exposure to real work and workplace challenges beyond classroom learning.
“We do this because we really believe in it. If we don’t help these young talents in Malaysia experience what work life is and what real work is, then I believe that we’re not really developing Malaysians and Malaysian talent for the future, but only developing them for the current needs,” he said.
Albern said Campus@CelcomDigi could accommodate up to 300 students, with dedicated spaces established at CelcomDigi Tower and CelcomDigi Hub, where participants would work on real projects alongside the company’s employees.
The initiative has attracted participation from more universities than initially expected, with second and final year students given opportunities to gain practical industry experience before graduation.
He said the programme would not be structured as a conventional internship, as participants would be expected to work on projects, present ideas, innovate and navigate workplace challenges as part of their learning experience.
“We will show you what the real world is, the challenges and competition, and how you need to win every day,” he said.
Albern said the Certifications Programme would complement the other talent initiatives by developing capabilities in AI, XR and other emerging technologies, while strengthening skills needed to meet the evolving demands of Malaysia’s digital economy.
-- BERNAMA