PayNet Accelerates Malaysia’s Financial Industry Talent Pipeline with Second Cohort of Cloud-Ready Graduates

The second cohort under the collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS) completed an intensive 14-week course to earn industry-recognised certifications and secure placements within Malaysia’s financial services sector

KUALA LUMPUR, 10 December 2025 – Payments Network Malaysia Sdn Bhd (PayNet) today celebrated the graduation of 50 students of their Program Akar Powered by AWS re/Start digital upskilling initiative, marking another milestone in PayNet’s mission to cultivate digitally skilled Malaysian talent for the financial services industry.

Program Akar, delivered through World Education Placement Services Sdn. Bhd. (WEPS), is PayNet’s first flagship national talent development initiative that addresses Malaysia’s digital skills gap designed to equip future leaders with globally recognised cloud skills for Malaysia’s financial services industry. The programme equips participants with cloud technology and digital payments skills at no cost, supporting the growing talent needs of the financial sector.

This initiative aligns with the national call for stronger digital talent development, as emphasised by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who highlighted that multinational companies require young talent equipped with skills for technological and digital transformation beyond the traditional academic syllabus.

The programme initially enrolled 100 students, with 50 forming the first pilot cohort at the Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU). Financial sector organisations such as Bank Negara, Maybank, Public Bank, CIMB, and Bank Islam have expressed interest in exploring internship and job placement pathways for Akar graduates to support wider industry adoption.

PayNet is the lead architect of the programme, playing a central role in shaping the curriculum and ensuring that industry-relevant skills were fully integrated to meet the needs of Malaysia’s financial sector. Meanwhile, AWS complemented their efforts by providing training resources, cloud services, and technical expertise.

Participants underwent a 14-week training that covered foundational cloud skills and digital payments, including a two-day on-site training on values-driven development programme. Graduates were awarded the AWS re/Start Certificate of Completion, an AWS Cloud Practitioner certificate, a Digital Payments Certificate, and the Values-Driven Enrichment Programme Certificate of Completion, signifying readiness for industry roles.

Globally, the AWS re/Start programme operates in more than 60 countries, with 98 percent of graduates securing job interview opportunities. It is one of the initiatives that has helped AWS train over 31 million learners across 200 countries and territories through its free training programmes.

For more information on Program Akar, please visit https://www.paynet.my/beyond-payments/community-impact/paynet-akar.html

About PayNet

Payments Network Malaysia (PayNet) is Malaysia's national payments network with a mission to accelerate the country's payment flows by making the digital payment infrastructure more accessible, widespread, and secure. Our comprehensive retail payments suite - including DuitNow (QR and Transfer), JomPAY (Bill Payments), FPX (Online), MyDebit (Domestic Debit), MEPS, and IBG (Interbank GIRO) - provides extensive coverage across the nation, forming a core part of daily life in Malaysia.

Additionally, PayNet's real-time retail QR payments network, DuitNow, is interoperable with domestic schemes in Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, and Cambodia, facilitating seamless cross-border transactions with these countries. PayNet is committed to promoting a secure, efficient, and innovative payments ecosystem in Malaysia and works closely with its stakeholders to develop new products and services that meet the evolving needs of consumers and businesses.

For further details, please visit our website: www.paynet.my.

About WEPS

World Education Placement Services Sdn. Bhd. (WEPS) is a leading provider of innovative educational solutions and workforce development programs. With a commitment to bridging the skills gap and empowering individuals for the future of work, WEPS helps transform organizations into skill-based-organizations with cutting-edge educational solutions and workforce development programs through technology platforms and solutions. WEPS offers a comprehensive suite of services designed to meet the diverse needs of learners, educational institutions, and employers.

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