The pilot programme, launched in partnership with Malaysia's Department of Skills Development (JPK), the national body responsible for vocational qualifications, will initially involve more than 30 accredited centres and is expected to support around 1,000 learners through dual-certification pathways linked to both Malaysian and internationally recognised UK standards.

The launch was attended by JPK's Director General and Deputy Director General, underlining the importance of the partnership between JPK and NOCN Group and the shared commitment to expanding international progression opportunities for learners across Malaysia.

The programme focuses initially on electrical installation and electric and hybrid vehicle servicing qualifications. Following the pilot, there are ambitions to expand delivery to around 250 centres and extend the model into additional sectors including construction, engineering, green skills, semiconductors and artificial intelligence. The opportunity is significant, with around 250,000 learners undertaking vocational programmes across Malaysia each year.

As part of the launch activity, centre certificates were awarded to 24 participating centres, marking the beginning of a wider programme designed to strengthen workforce capability, employability and international skills recognition across Malaysia. The launch was followed by a national press conference attended by television, radio and print media, generating positive coverage of the initiative.

Alongside the pilot programme, NOCN Group signed an agreement with the Advanced Training Centre for Instructors and Skills (CIAST), Malaysia's national institute for vocational assessors. The partnership aims to support the development of more than 600 assessors to international standards, helping to build long-term assessment capacity and support future growth of the programme nationwide.

The Malaysia visit also included engagement with a number of existing and prospective partners. These included the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), NOCN Group's first Malaysian customer, which has delivered NOCN programmes since 2022 and is exploring opportunities to expand its provision. NIOSH has also provided office facilities for NOCN Asia within its Kuala Lumpur training academy, strengthening NOCN Group's long-term presence in the region.

Meetings were also held with Offshore Academy and the Wild Geese Group, a specialist provider of health, safety and emergency management training for the global oil and gas sector, which is exploring opportunities to expand its delivery of NOCN programmes across its international operations.

Early feedback following the launch has been highly positive, with strong interest from centres, employers and government stakeholders. The programme is being recognised as an important step towards expanding access to internationally recognised qualifications and creating new progression opportunities for learners and workforce professionals across Malaysia and the wider ASEAN region.

Graham Hasting-Evans, Chief Executive of NOCN Group and Chair of NOCN Asia, said:

“The launch of NOCN Asia and the JPK–NOCN pilot programme marks the beginning of a long-term commitment to supporting skills development and workforce readiness across Malaysia and the wider ASEAN region.

What has been particularly encouraging is the level of engagement from government, centres and industry partners, all of whom recognise the importance of internationally aligned skills pathways that support both learners and employers.

The scale of the opportunity is significant, and we look forward to continuing to work closely with our partners to help strengthen workforce capability, support economic growth and create meaningful progression opportunities for learners.”

Further updates on the pilot programme, partnership activity and NOCN Asia's regional development plans will be shared in the coming months.