Teachers play an important role in cultivating curiosity, building student confidence and preparing the future workforce to tackle global challenges.

To address the issue of declining interest in STEM among students, we established Program Duta Guru (PDG) in 2019, a high-impact partnership with the Ministry of Education aimed at strengthening the capabilities of STEM teachers serving schools with a majority of students from underprivileged backgrounds.

The first cohort of 150 participants began their training in June 2020. Through a comprehensive 24-month programme focused on integrated STEM and Engineering Design Process (EDP) as well as the experiential 5E Instructional Model, PDG teachers are empowered with skills to improve student engagement and proficiency in STEM subjects, and also cultivate these students' Higher-Order Thinking Skills (HOTS).

PDG is implemented in collaboration with Teach for Malaysia and Petrosains, with a goal to transform 4,500 public school teachers nationwide into STEM ambassadors and master trainers by 2030. To date, nearly 2,150 teachers from 140 operational districts have benefitted from the programme. (note to client: to update with latest stats)

For more on PDG, refer to the following links: STEM - Yayasan Petronas | Where Good Flourishes Program Duta Guru | Info – Teach For Malaysia

To ignite interest in STEM and TVET among secondary school students, we launched the Discover PETRONAS @ School (DPS) programme to promote these educational categories, and raise awareness on the oil & gas and energy industry along with potential career opportunities within this sector.

Through DPS, we bring experiential, hands-on learning directly to students in underserved and rural communities, featuring career talks and interactive sessions with industry professionals and PETRONAS scholars, allowing students to learn from
real-world role models.

We also use DPS as a platform to create awareness on the PETRONAS Education Sponsorship Programme (PESP), as well as career opportunities within PETRONAS.

First introduced in 2014, DPS has benefitted over 24,000 students, with over RM2.7 million invested to date. 

To help bridge the rural-urban digital divide and support the Ministry of Education's Digital Education Policy, we transform underfunded rural classrooms into modern, tech-enabled smart labs.

Traditional classrooms receive advanced hardware installations, including interactive Smart TVs, electronic teaching aids and computers. We also refurbish outdated labs with new furniture, air conditioning and advanced scientific equipment such as digital microscopes.

For remote areas lacking built-in facilities, we deploy mobile STEM kits so every student can experience hands-on learning.

These efforts contribute to our overall goal of ensuring that underserved students gain equal access to high-quality STEM education and are not left out of the technology-driven workforce.

To popularise STEM beyond schools, we engage with the community through Petrosains, our flagship discovery science centre that serves as an experiential learning hub to nurture a culture of science and innovation.

The centre hosts approximately 300 interactive exhibits within specific themed galleries. Popular highlights include the Energy Capsule, SPEED, 3D Theatre, Tech Lab, Geotime Diorama, and Space.

Petrosains also collaborates with various stakeholders to deliver impactful programmes, particularly in STEM education, business and sustainability-related thematic learning.
Among others, it has partnered with the Ministry of Education, Mercedes-Benz and the Offshore Petroleum Industry Training Organisation (OPITO).

Since opening its doors in 1999, Petrosains has welcomed over xxx visitors.

To strengthen local graduates' digital literacy, enhance their marketability, and bridge the gap between academic curricula and the evolving demands of the digital-first job market, we introduced BeDigital Bootcamp, a two-week digital acceleration programme designed to prepare final-year university students for their transition to the working world.

Launched in 2022, the curated programme features an intensive learning experience that brings campers through the concepts of design thinking, data storytelling and digital entrepreneurship.

The modules are updated regularly in accordance with market needs, and conducted mainly by PETRONAS talents in collaboration with technology partners as well as the bootcamp's alumni. It covers in-demand digital skills such as artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity, and also involves an intense "Shark Tank"-style business pitching session to test the campers' problem-solving and presentation skills under pressure.

BeDigital Bootcamp directly aligns with Malaysia's digital economy aspirations by cultivating young local talent and encouraging digital entrepreneurship. It also serves as an active pipeline, connecting students directly with dozens of hiring partners and PETRONAS subsidiaries, leading to conditional employment offers upon completion.

Since its launch, the bootcamp has digitally empowered 860 students with 276 successful job matchings.

TVET provides practical and inclusive educational pathways, especially for youth in rural areas or from underprivileged backgrounds.

In 1992, we introduced the Vocational Institution Sponsorship and Training Assistance (VISTA) programme to provide funding and career opportunities for youths entering the oil and gas industry.

Through this long-running initiative, we partner with vocational and technical institutions to shape the syllabus and training to match real-world market needs, focusing on
high-demand skills such as 6G welding, pipe fitting, scaffolding, instrumentation and chargeman.

We also collaborate with government agencies and state governments of the selected institutions on infrastructure, equipment, trainers and programme readiness to ensure the chosen technical courses will be delivered successfully according to industry requirements.

The programme has produced over 14,000 graduates and benefitted 37 institutions to date, with more than RM95 million invested. (note to client: to update with latest stats)

In 2025, we expanded VISTA to VISTA i-Plus, an enhanced model to transform the programme into a collaborative, industry-wide framework. This upgrade aligns with the National TVET Policy 2030 to collectively produce highly skilled, industry-ready professionals, not just for PETRONAS but also for the entire oil and gas ecosystem in Malaysia.

For more on VISTA i-Plus, refer to the following link: Students & Graduates | PETRONAS Global