Three more Mara Skills Institutes (MSIs) will be built under the 10th Malaysia Plan to enable more youths to obtain technical and vocational skills.

Rural and Regional Development Minister Mohd Shafie Apdal said they would be built in North Seberang Prai, Penang; Raub, Pahang; and in Kuala Pilah, Negri Sembilan.

"In connection with this, we are asking Mara to carry out transformation and reform on the programmes at MSIs and Mara Higher Skills Colleges (MHSCs)," he told reporters after attending the MHSC and MSI Convention 2011, at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre today.

He said the reform initiative was in line with the requirements of  industries and also to take on a global perspective.

He said Mara had also established collaboration with international bodies including the Welding Institute, United Kingdom, a very well-known body internationally which marketed their products to large industries such as Boeing and Airbus.

- Bernama