Mavcap takes upskilling program online

In light of Covid-19 and the movement control order enforced to contain the pandemic, Malaysia Venture Capital Management Berhad (Mavcap) is taking its corporate social responsibility (CSR) upskilling programme online.

Called SPARK-X, the first virtual programme conducted from May 6 – 8, 2020 via the Zoom app with 30 participants, was aimed at equipping participants with skills in three key areas, namely the Basics of Design Thinking, Basics of Building a Website, and Basics of Communication and Digital Marketing with Social Media.

Working in teams of three, participants presented their ideas and completed website tasks to a panel of judges, which was done virtually.

MAVCAP acting chief executive officer Shahril Anas said the programme provided young people with the necessary skill sets to navigate an uncertain future brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Areas such as design thinking, programming and marketing in the digital age are particularly relevant and timely during this global Covid-19 pandemic, which has seen digital solutions and innovative businesses come to the forefront in a very significant way. With this in mind, exposing participants to these skills will be greatly beneficial in terms of increasing employability.

“These key skills are ideal for those interested in starting their own small ventures, utilising a website and social media as marketing platforms. Participants can also use the knowledge gained to provide basic website management services to small businesses. This will help young Malaysians supplement their income during this challenging period and furthermore, these are valuable skills which they will be able to build on to grow their capabilities over the long-term,” he said.

SPARK and now SPARK-X are Mavcap CSR initiatives that have been ongoing since 2016. With the primary objective of cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset amongst young Malaysians, the programmes have had the following reach and impact:

• SPARK targets secondary school students aged between 15 to 17 years old. The programme has reached out to 416 secondary students from 91 different schools from Kuala Lumpur, Negri Sembilan, Malacca, Pahang, Perak, Johor, Penang and Sabah.
  
• Based on the success of SPARK, SPARK-X was held as a pilot programme in Kuala Lumpur in 2019 targeting Malaysian youths aged between 18 to 25 years old.

Shahril said that the overwhelming response to the first virtual SPARK-X with over 180 applicants from across Malaysia demonstrated a real need on the ground for programmes such as SPARK-X which can provide young people with skill sets that they can use as a foundation to become more valuable employees or earn side income.

As a result of the wide interest and success of the pilot programme, additional sessions are slated to be conducted soon.

SPARK-X is free and open to Malaysian youths aged between 18 to 25 years old, regardless of employment status. SPM school leavers and higher education institution students are encouraged to take part.

As seats are limited for each session, for more information, contact Rina at [email protected] or 012-393 4982.