Good or Bad about HRD Corp Microcredential (MC)?

The question of “what is HRD Corp Microcredential” is frequently asked by both training providers and employers. As soon as we all realised what it was, we were furious and did not in the least agree with the new rules or functionality that HRD Corporation had implemented.

The response and explanation from HRD Corporation stating that the workplace increasingly necessitates a multi-skilled workforce and that now, more than ever, the labour market has an urgency for Microcredential courses in order for workers to remain employable, adaptive, and competitive.

A HRD Corp Microcredential (MC) serves as evidence that a learner has achieved certain learning outcomes after participating in a condensed learning experience. The knowledge, skills, and attitude domains are used to evaluate this aspect of the candidate.

These brief learning courses, often known as bite-sized certifications, focus on a particular professional competence in order to guarantee that the qualification gained will satisfy the requirements of the relevant industry and be recognised by potential employers. Learners’ professional, technical, and personal growth can be supported by the Microcredential, which can be earned as part of an authorised programme or as a standalone course. Learners will receive a digital certification once the course has been successfully completed.

THE ASSOCIATED CHINESE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY OF MALAYSIA (ACCCIM) is opposed to the adoption of a mandatory microcredential fee that will be levied on employers beginning on August 15, 2022 for all of the Human Resource Development Corp’s (HRD Corp) claimable programmes. According to a circular on the implementation of the microcredential initiative that was released by HRD Corp on June 15, 2022, employers would be required to pay a charge of RM300 in order to participate in practically any HRD Corp training programme.

These brief learning courses, often known as bite-sized certifications, focus on a particular professional competence in order to guarantee that the qualification gained will satisfy the requirements of the relevant industry and be recognised by potential employers. Learners’ professional, technical, and personal growth can be supported by the Microcredential, which can be earned as part of an authorised programme or as a standalone course. Learners will receive a digital certification once the course has been successfully completed.

And this really pisses us off since it would cut down on the amount of employees who are eligible to participate in training programmes. This goes against the goal of HRD Corp., which is to encourage more employees to acquire new skills and improve their existing ones. In addition, new financial burdens would need to be shouldered by the commercial sector during a time that is already difficult. “ACCCIM is on board with the idea because it promotes continuous education for its staff members. On the other hand, we are of the opinion that not every course need to be required to have a microcredential in addition to a mandatory price of RM300 per worker. The consensus among us is that “not all workers are interested in accumulating microcredentials as a kind of formal qualification.” It need to be seen as voluntary participation rather than obligatory,”

HRD Corp Microcredential really benefit to all parties?

We are all aware that everyone is having a difficult time during the recovery of MCO, but charging RM300 per employer in order to enrol for a benefit and upskilling is abusing the confidence that we have placed in HRD Corp about our contributions.

Among these are the requirements that the panel of experts from the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) and the Department of Skills Development, who verify the microcredential courses, as well as the list of higher education providers, must be made public. “We also expect that HRD Corp can list down the microcredential courses and post it on their website as what MQA does for theirs,” he said. “This would be similar to what HRD Corp does for their website.”

Low reiterating that it is unacceptable for HRD Corp to execute new measures without first having productive engagement sessions with the business sectors and various stakeholders in the organisation