Facing Skills Gaps in Your Workforce?
Here’s How microDegrees Can Help You Bridge Them

Since the 1970s, Malaysia’s electronics and semiconductor industry has been a driving force in the nation’s economy. What started as a hub for assembly and manufacturing has evolved into a high-tech sector focused on automation, precision engineering, and advanced semiconductor fabrication. With this transformation, the skills required of employees have also changed dramatically.

Today, companies face a critical challenge: how to effectively upskill their workforce to meet evolving industry demands. Traditional training methods often fall short, especially when technicians and operators lack formal qualifications for career progression. This is where a structured µDegree (microdegree) program becomes essential as a solution.

What is a µDegree and How Does It Solve Workforce Challenges?

A µDegree is a structured learning program that develops industry-relevant skills through a progressive, step-by-step pathway. Unlike ad-hoc training, which is often standalone and short-term, a µDegree provides a continuous, competency-based learning journey with clear skill progression. These structured programs are co-developed by DreamCatcher in collaboration with participating organizations, ensuring the curriculum aligns closely with the company's unique training objectives and industry needs.

What makes a µDegree even more powerful is its customizability—it can be tailored to a company’s specific objectives, ensuring training aligns with business needs.

Additionally, each µDegree culminates in a capstone project designed around real-life tasks that are directly relevant to the participant’s job. These projects focus on helping technicians articulate their ideas, transitioning them from a task-oriented approach to that of a more proactive, solution-oriented thinker.

For companies, the benefits are clear:

• Aligning with business objectives: Training is designed to address workforce challenges unique to each organization.

• Providing structured learning: Employees follow a systematic development process with measurable learning outcomes.

• Standardizing workforce skills: Establishes clear internal benchmarks, ensuring employees meet competency requirements for career advancement.

• Enabling career progression and talent retention: Provides a structured pathway for long-serving employees—especially those without formal qualifications—to advance based on skills, fostering loyalty and reducing turnover.

With the government’s push for micro-credentials, µDegree programs have become a practical solution for upskilling employees and future-proofing the workforce.

Case Study: Texas Instruments (TI) Malaysia

Texas Instruments (TI) Electronics Malaysia is one of the many MNCs facing the challenge of developing its workforce, especially in upskilling their technicians and operators to meet the demands of new business, managing new technology and equipment, and adopting automation. This challenge is becoming even more difficult to solve, as many operators lack of formal qualifications. As a result, this has become a barrier to career progression for many operators despite their valuable hands-on experience. In response, TI partnered with DreamCatcher and Wawasan Open University to create a tailored µDegree program. This program equipped technicians and operators with relevant technical skills, offering a structured career advancement pathway based on competencies.

TI’s µDegree Implementation

• Batch #1 (2022): This first µDegree was designed with the goal of enhancing troubleshooting skills and fostering a continuous improvement mindset (Kaizen) among TI’s technicians. Throughout the course of the Equipment Maintenance and Troubleshooting µDegree, the technicians acquired deeper technical knowledge and improved their problem-solving skills by the end of the program.

• Batch #2 (2024): The second program was extended to include operators, which aimed at broadening the workforce’s competency. The objective was to upskill a selected group of operators with skills that allowed them to perform technical tasks, and guide them along a clear career progression path toward becoming junior technicians. By the end of the program, these operators earned the Technical Operator µDegree, marking a significant step forward in their professional development.

The success of TI’s initiative underscores the effectiveness of the structured µDegree programs in creating a skilled, adaptable, and promotion-ready workforce.

DreamCatcher’s Expertise in µDegree Programs

Over the past five years, the demand for professional certifications, such as µDegree, has significantly increased within the industry. In that period of time, DreamCatcher has delivered over 55 professional certification programs, helping over 970 professionals progress in their careers.

In addition to Texas Instruments, DreamCatcher has customized and delivered µDegree programs for leading companies, including Flextronics, Keysight, Intel, Jabil, Sandisk, Frencken Group, Continental, On Semiconductor, Boston Scientific, and many others.

Each program was tailored to meet the company’s specific objectives, ensuring maximum relevance and impact.

Future of Workforce Upskilling: Time to Take Action

As industries continue to evolve, companies that invest in structured, business-aligned upskilling programs will gain a competitive edge in talent retention, operational efficiency, and innovation.

If your company is looking for an effective way to upskill employees, build internal career pathways, and establish strong workforce benchmarks, a customized µDegree program is the solution.

Contact DreamCatcher to explore how we can design a program that aligns with your business objectives and drives lasting results.