- ASIA EDUCATION REVIEW - NOVEMBER 20269ZOUD & HAL EDUCATION PARTNER TO ENHANCE STUDENT FINANCIAL LITERACYSCHNEIDER ELECTRIC OPENS APAC TRAINING HUB IN MALAYSIASchneider Electric has opened a Regional Training Centre in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, to strengthen the technical workforce across Asia-Pacific. The opening also marks the company's 40th anniversary in Malaysia.The 18,500 sq ft facility can accommodate more than 550 participants annually from 15 Asia-Pacific countries, including customers, partners, contractors and Schneider Electric employees. Programmes combine classroom instruction with hands-on exercises using operational equipment.Training covers low- and medium-voltage electrical distribution, UPS technology, power distribution and energy management, digital solutions for data centre operations, industrial automation and system integration, and equipment diagnostics, operation and maintenance.Malaysia attracted more than RM95 billion in data centre and cloud infrastructure investments in the first half of 2026. Eugene Quah, Country President of Schneider Electric Malaysia, said the success of AI, data centre and electrification investments depends on skilled professionals.Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Chang Lih Kang officiated at the opening. ERZoud, the National Financial Wellbeing and Sustainability Initiative, has partnered with HAL Education to deliver a financial literacy programme across more than 500 educational institutions in the UAE, covering 400 schools and 110 universities over two years.The programme will teach practical skills including money management, budgeting and saving through structured workshops and activities delivered as extracurricular learning. In the first year, school workshops will target Grades 7 to 9, expanding to Grades 4 to 9 in the second year. University workshops will cover budgeting, banking, saving, credit, financial planning, entrepreneurship and introductory investment principles.Separate sessions will be held for parents and teachers. Impact will be measured through assessments before and after workshops.Natalia El Menhall, Programme Director at Zoud, said the partnership aims to make financial literacy an essential life skill from an early age. HAL Education Founder and CEO Fathima Nazeeha Najimudeen said it will give students practical opportunities to apply financial concepts in everyday life. ERAt the Fortune SEA500 Summit 2026, Stavian High Tech Infrastructure Chairman Le Dang Dung said AI growth needs connectivity, energy, capital and skilled people to advance togetherER
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