Very soon, in about a week or so, National Training Week (NTW) will be upon us once again. I have been known to be quite critical of some of the initiatives from Human Resource Development Corporation (HRDC). However, this is not one of them. Let’s be fair. Call a spade a spade and give credit where credit is due.

So, in this instance, I find the whole premise of NTW as a nation building initiative not only commendable but also logical and strategic. Here is the excerpt from it’s website, https://www.nationaltrainingweek.gov.my/, explaining the rational behind this initiative.

“In a world where change is the only constant, National Training Week (NTW) stands as a beacon of hope, offering free access to quality learning and development opportunities to people from all walks of life. This initiative is more than just a training carnival — it’s a nationwide movement to future-proof careers, bridge skills gaps, and ignite a culture of lifelong learning and skills enhancement. In collaboration ….
… NTW is a one-stop hub for upskilling and reskilling. Whether you’re a fresh graduate, a mid-career professional, or an employer looking to elevate your team, NTW opens doors to opportunities that matter. What sets NTW apart is its accessibility. All programmes are offered at no cost, ensuring that no one is left behind in a journey toward a high-income, knowledge-driven economy. From …”

This initiative is only made possible from the pro-bono contribution of trainers and training providers. Now, this is the good news. What is the bad news?

The bad news is how some in the industry abuse and takes advantage of this initiative to upsell. Don’t get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with marketing yourself as a trainer. However, be appropriate about it.

NTW is a platform and opportunity yo contribute. That should the be absolute primary intent. If the intent of your participation is to expose yourself and market yourself through NTW, that in itself is inappropriate and unethical. It goes against the principle and spirit of NTW. The promotion of oneself shouldn’t be the primary reason. It should not even be the secondary or tertiary reason. It shouldn’t even be in the top 10 list of why you participate in NTW.

Some of you might say, that there is no way we can see someone’s intent. Well, I beg to differ. You intent might be invisible but your action and behaviour is not. Personal Mastery 101 dictates that your intent influences your behaviour and your action. So in the instance of NTW, how do see this intent? We can see this by the kind of offerings that is done by trainers throughout NTW.

Upselling is rampant. So is previews. How can these be about upskilling and reskiling with quality learning and development opportunities (which by the way is the essence of NTW)?

There are also courses that ran only for less than an hour and many for just two hours. Yes, I don’t deny that we do learn even if it is one minute long. Yet, ask yourself. Are you truly producing meaningful learning in such time span? Are you doing these “brief learning session” to just fulfil the bare minimum and ticking boxes in hope for future rewards? If the future rewards come, so be it. That is secondary and should never be the primary focus intent.

Kalau nak bagi, bagi betul betul. Jangan ala kadar aje. Hold back some things sebagai umpan for enrolment into another program. Jangan jadikan NTW tapak untuk kau market program kau. NTW is an opportunity to put aside our selfish intents and truly contribute unconditionally. It is only happening once a year and you can’t even pause your self promotion for just this brief moment?