The Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) hopes that more independent digital talent or 'freelancers' among graduates of higher education institutions will be produced through the MOHE-MDEC Global Outsourcing Talent (GOT) programme in the future. Its chairman, Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh said as of today, over 5,500 participants from 20 public higher education institutions (IPTA) have been trained with the skills to become digital 'freelancers' according to the sharing or gig economy model. "MDEC hopes the allocation for the implemention of the MOHE-MDEC GOT can be done next year through allocations under the said ministry especially through Budget 2025. "So far, the programme has received a very good reception, and in Melaka alone, a total of 549 participants have been trained involving three higher education institutions in Melaka, namely Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTEM), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Alor Gajah and UiTM Bandaraya, " he told reporters here today. He said this after the ope ning ceremony of the Jelajah Saya Digital @ Melaka 2024, which was officiated by State Science, Technology, Innovation and Digital Communication Committee chairman Datuk Fairul Nizam Roslan. Elaborating further, Syed Ibrahim said through the MOHE-MDEC GOT programme, participants are offered three-month intensive training to equip themselves with the skills to become competitive digital freelancers. He said this programme will give priority to IPTA graduates who have completed their studies but are waiting for job offers, and through the skills they have acquired, they are able to generate a decent income. Meanwhile, he said under the implementation of the MyDigitalMaker initiative, which began in 2016, over 2.5 million school students nationwide have participated in digital manufacturing activities including the Hour of Code campaign which is a competition based on digital manufacturing while over 150,000 students have participated in the MyDigitalMaker Carnival. "This programme not only fosters students' interest in technology but also prepares the concerned group with the skills needed in the current era of digitisation," he said. Earlier, he also said that about 2,000 visitors are expected to attend the two-day Jelajah Saya Digital @ Melaka 2024, which began today, at The Shore Shopping Gallery here. On the tour, visitors have the opportunity to witness interesting sharing by well-known influencer Rhys William James Woodfield or better known as 'Mat Salleh Cari Makan' who will share his experiences and give tips on digital content creation. In addition, entrepreneurs of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) will learn practical guidance on fast-moving digital marketing techniques and the use of the TikTok application to expand reach and increase sales results. Source: BERNAMA News Agency