Aiming higher: Mohmed Asri (centre without glasses) surrounded by NS trainees giving their thumbs-up during the D-G’s visit to their camp:-

SIBU: The national service training will soon include soft and hard skills, such as public speaking and electronics, in a move to prepare the trainees for the job market, says newly appointed National Service (NS) training department director-general Datuk Mohmed Asri Yusuf.

“The Prime Minister, in announcing Budget 2015, had said the NS training camps will undergo transformation with the injection of new elements.

“So, I am going round to get feedback from all training camp operators, commanders, trainees, parents and non-governmental organisations on what we need to add value to the modules,” he told a press conference after opening a three-day NS voluntary brigade course here yesterday.

Mohmed Asri said among the feedback he had gathered so far is that the trainees needed to be provided with soft and hard skills so that they would find it easier to find jobs.

The soft skills, he said, include public speaking, leadership ability and self-confidence while the hard skills cover training in electronics, mechanical skills and the tourism sector.

“At the training camp, they will, at least, have the basic knowledge of hard skills so they can continue to learn it at learning centres.

“We will give the candidates the right course,” added Mohmed Asri, who was appointed to his post last month.

He said there were also requests for added curriculum, better facilities and improved security and cleanliness.

“We want the best for our national service so that parents will be more interested to send their children for the training and not because they are forced to,” he added.

Asked whether more training centres would be added to the current 81 NS camps, he said it would depend on the needs and financial capability of the Government.

– THE STAR