Negeri Sembilan, June 2025 – ICDL Asia is proud to have supported the Malaysian Bumiputera Training Providers Association (MBTA) on a Program Latihan MADANI initiative by the Human Resource Development Corporation (HRD Corp), an agency under the Ministry of Human Resources (KESUMA), in collaboration with Jabatan Penjara Malaysia (the Malaysian Prison Department) under the Ministry of Home Affairs (KDN).
This initiative, which aims to empower Malaysia’s underserved communities through learning and development, includes the SCOPE programme – Second Chances and Opportunities for People to Excel. It is designed to facilitate the successful reintegration of formerly incarcerated individuals into society, by providing them with practical skills and vocational training in a supportive and rehabilitative environment.
A 3-day training programme was developed for selected inmates from Pusat Reintegrasi Penghuni Mantin, which provides a conducive learning environment for over 100 individuals. This hands-on, skills-based rehabilitation programme aims to provide them with income-generation opportunities that foster positive long-term personal growth.
Implementation of the ICDL Image Editing module equipped participants with marketable digital skills that support their employability, through creativity aligned with globally recognised standards. Participants learned to use open-source image editing tools to digitally enhance visuals, as well as imaging concepts to increase productivity, thus gaining competencies relevant to today’s digital economy.
The programme was conducted through a combination of interactive instruction, demonstrations, and practical exercises guided by an HRD Corp accredited trainer. Participants also engaged in structured projects, reinforcing both their technical competence and their confidence in digital creativity.
One of the programme’s facilitators, Ms Nour’el Auni, expressed that she found the training to be a rewarding experience: “Seeing how eager the participants were to learn and how much they enjoyed the activities was truly fulfilling. It gives me reaffirmation on the value of creating a supportive and engaging learning environment for everyone, and the power of upskilling in transforming lives.”
Participants expressed heartfelt appreciation for the training, sharing how much they enjoyed and looked forward to each session throughout the three days. “Every day felt exciting because we were learning something new and useful,” said a participant.
Another mentioned that image editing was “easy and fun”, thanks to the patient and supportive guidance of the trainer. Participants also extended their gratitude to the MBTA team for making the sessions interactive and enjoyable. One of them shared: “The positive and encouraging atmosphere gave us confidence and hope to apply what we have learned, as part of our reintegration journey.”
ICDL is committed to helping raise awareness, improving acceptance, and strengthening the integration process between former detainees and their communities. It is important that various stakeholders, including employers, provide individuals with a second chance – the opportunity to earn an honest living.
Through the internationally recognised ICDL certification, we hope this will reduce the stigma and preconceived notions that these individuals commonly face, whilst giving them the means to rebuild their lives and become productive members of society that contribute to the nation’s economy.
This is in line with HRD Corp’s vision to ensure that every Malaysian is trained and employable. It also complements efforts by the Ministry of Human Resources to create a more inclusive workforce and society, by unlocking the untapped potential of former detainees.
About the Malaysian Bumiputera Training Providers Association (MBTA)
MBTA represents approximately 100 members, including Bumiputera trainers and training providers. Founded by Mr Azman Shah Dato’ Aziz, the Association serves as a platform to unite highly capable Bumiputera professionals and elevate their standing within the human resources industry, locally and internationally. MBTA supports its members by promoting growth and visibility, fostering excellence through continuous upskilling, professional development, and the delivery of innovative, high-quality training services.
The Association actively collaborates with the Human Resource Development Corporation (HRD Corp) and is regularly involved in its events and initiatives. Through these efforts, MBTA continues to create meaningful opportunities for its members, ensuring the highest standards of professionalism and service delivery in the training sector.
For more information, please visit https://www.mb-ta.com/
About ICDL
ICDL is a global social enterprise dedicated to raising digital competence standards in the workforce, education, and society. Our certification programmes, delivered through an active network in over 100 countries, enable individuals and organisations to assess, build, and certify their competence in the use of computers and digital tools to the globally recognised ICDL standard.
As a not-for-profit social enterprise, ICDL Foundation benefits from the unique support of experts from national computer societies and partners worldwide to develop vendor-independent standards, defining the skills and knowledge required to use digital technology effectively. We work with education and training partners, local and regional authorities, national governments, international development organisations, as well as public and private sector employers in all sectors, in the delivery of our programmes.
The quality and reputation of ICDL are built on almost 30 years of experience in delivering certification programmes to over 17 million people in more than 40 languages worldwide, with more than 2.5 million ICDL tests taken annually. Our success is maintained by our ongoing innovation in certification programme development, our commitment to rigorous test design methodologies, and consistent adherence to our quality assurance standards. For more information about ICDL, please visit https://icdlasia.org/about-us/