Some of us buy imported cars on the notion that local manufacturers cannot compete with German engineering and Japanese build quality. While some overachieving CBUs are hard to fault, this idea is fundamentally flawed for not taking into consideration the local workforce needed to keep these foreign vehicles running in tip-top condition. 

Drive a Merc that costs as much as a brand new apartment? Had a couple of rattles sorted out recently? Chances are it was fixed by someone who just passed their SPM examinations a few years ago. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. 

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia (MBM) doesn't just take pride in its local workforce - it helps nurture it. Last week, 54 Malaysian trainees graduated from the German carmaker's Advanced Modern Apprenticeship Class of 2020. The three-year program is focused on developing local automotive talent and is offered with a full scholarship under the National Dual Training System (NDTS) in partnership with the Department of Skills Development (JPK), a division of the Ministry of Human Resources. 

“The programme is designed to not only nurture young Malaysians by exposing them to advanced technical skills but also helps them future-proof their careers by learning from the finest in the industry. It is our goal to have a pool of well-trained, technically skilled workforce for our network across Malaysia to ensure that our customers get the best driving experience and uncompromising quality of their vehicle”

Claus Weidner, President and CEO of MBM

Over 900 graduates of the apprenticeship program have joined the Mercedes-Benz network as advanced technicians as of August 2020.