KUCHING: A professional accounting training centre in Malaysia, TYMBA Education Group (TYMBA), is aiming to establish collaborations in the near future with public universities and state-owned educational institutions in Sarawak and Sabah to introduce skills-based programmes that support the development of a highly skilled workforce.
TYMBA’s Chief Executive Officer, Airil Razali, said the group believes that students in Sarawak and Sabah are increasingly ready to embrace new educational approaches that emphasise practical skills, technological proficiency, and internationally recognised professional qualifications.
He noted that changes in the employment landscape driven by the Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR 4.0) and the digital economy require students to possess more diverse competencies and the ability to adapt to evolving industry needs.
“Based on our experience with students from Borneo who have followed TYMBA programmes, we find that they demonstrate strong resilience, determination and commitment to improving themselves and their communities.
“These values are crucial in shaping a generation of professionals who are not only globally competitive but also aspire to contribute to the development of their respective states,” he said in an interview.
Elaborating further, Airil said that through TYMBA’s extensive experience in building a global talent development ecosystem, the main focus is to provide early exposure to students in areas such as digital finance, data analytics, and professional skills, before guiding them towards international professional qualifications such as Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), and CFA Institute (CFA).
At the same time, he said TYMBA also aims to facilitate access to education financing opportunities through collaboration with sponsoring bodies such as Yayasan Peneraju Pendidikan Bumiputera, Yayasan Sabah, and Yayasan Sarawak to ensure that capable students can pursue professional studies without financial constraints.
“Sarawak and Sabah have significant potential in talent development, particularly in areas related to modern Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), digital technology, and future competencies.
“TYMBA sees wide opportunities for collaboration to introduce programmes focused on industry-based skills, aligned with economic transformation needs and the growth of new employment sectors,” he said.
As a start, Airil said TYMBA plans to implement two main initiatives: a Financial Literacy Programme and a Certification in Digital Applications for diploma- and degree-level students.
He explained that these programmes emphasise financial literacy, digital and analytical skills, as well as technological adaptability – key competencies in a knowledge-based economy.
“The target groups include diploma and degree students, fresh graduates, and the existing workforce who need to enhance competencies in areas related to the digital economy, data analytics, and financial professions.
“The proposed programmes focus on practical and relevant skill development, in line with current industry needs as well as upskilling and reskilling agendas for the local workforce,” he said.
In addition, Airil said TYMBA is also collaborating with state government agencies in Sabah on upskilling programmes.
One of the latest initiatives is a collaboration with Sabah’s Human Resource Development Department to implement a Certification in Data Analytics with ACCA, aimed at strengthening data analytics capabilities among the local workforce.
Since 2020, TYMBA has built a strong track record, with more than 5,000 students passing professional examinations under its programmes and over 90 educators trained globally, all certified by BPP University in the United Kingdom.
At the same time, TYMBA supports more than 20 universities and institutions worldwide and achieved ACCA Platinum status in less than one and a half years.
Its graduates have also reached top positions in international ACCA rankings, competing with and outperforming students from around the world.
Additionally, TYMBA is a trusted strategic partner of Yayasan Peneraju Pendidikan Bumiputera and Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA), serves as the sole provider for the ACCA programme under Yayasan Selangor, and was among the earliest institutions appointed as an ICAEW Learning Partner in Malaysia.
