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Vocational (MPV) School Teacher

Education

Teach occupational, vocational, career, or technical subjects to students at the secondary school level.

EducationMechanical Engineering

Picture the job

Where you'd usually workA classroom

  • Mostly indoors
  • On your feet for most of the day
  • Dealing with customers or the public
  • Regular working hours

An illustration of a typical workplace, not a photo. The work-style notes come from US O*NET data, so read them as a guide.

In Malaysia

In Malaysia this mostly means teaching Mata Pelajaran Vokasional (MPV), 22 hands-on SPM subjects such as domestic wiring, automobile servicing and catering, offered in 512 daily secondary schools, or teaching at a Kolej Vokasional. Skills instructors at ILP/ADTEC-type institutes fall under a separate scheme (Tenaga Pengajar Latihan Vokasional, DV).

How people get into it here
SPM → Diploma, STPM or Matrikulasi → Bachelor's in Vocational Education (e.g. UTHM) or Technology with Education → apply to SPA as a Pegawai Perkhidmatan Pendidikan (DG9). A KPM ISMP scholarship covers TVET education degrees.
Government post
Pegawai Perkhidmatan Pendidikan DG9 (formerly DG41) under SSPA · starts at RM2,360 a month

Sources:spa.gov.mystudentportal.mymoe.gov.mysites.google.com

Pay in Malaysia

Government starting pay

RM2,360 – RM2,580

per month

Official basic pay for the government grade, before allowances. Private-sector pay can differ.

SPA (Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Awam): Pegawai Perkhidmatan Pendidikan DG9 · 2025

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. 3

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. Typical entry

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationBachelor's degree

Quick answers

How do you become a Vocational (MPV) School Teacher in Malaysia?

SPM → Diploma, STPM or Matrikulasi → Bachelor's in Vocational Education (e.g. UTHM) or Technology with Education → apply to SPA as a Pegawai Perkhidmatan Pendidikan (DG9). A KPM ISMP scholarship covers TVET education degrees. Optional registration with Jabatan Pembangunan Kemahiran (JPK) — TVET Instruction certificate (replaced the VTO programme) and assessor induction are needed to teach/assess at JPK-accredited skills centres; school-based KV teachers follow the SPP teacher scheme instead is available.

What should I study to become a Vocational (MPV) School Teacher?

Related fields of study: Education and Mechanical Engineering. SPM subjects that help most: English, Computer Science / ICT, Electrical & Electronic Eng. Studies and Business.

How much does a Vocational (MPV) School Teacher earn in Malaysia?

The official pay scale put starting pay at RM2,360 – RM2,580 a month (source: SPA (Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Awam): Pegawai Perkhidmatan Pendidikan DG9, 2025).

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Instruct students individually and in groups, using various teaching methods, such as lectures, discussions, and demonstrations.
  2. 2Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among students.
  3. 3Prepare materials and classroom for class activities.
  4. 4Observe and evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.
  5. 5Instruct students in the knowledge and skills required in a specific occupation or occupational field, using a systematic plan of lectures, discussions, audio-visual presentations, and laboratory, shop, and field studies.
  6. 6Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment and materials to prevent injury and damage.
  7. 7Establish clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects, and communicate those objectives to students.
  8. 8Use computers, audio-visual aids, and other equipment and materials to supplement presentations.
  9. 9Guide and counsel students with adjustments, academic problems, or special academic interests.
  10. 10Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by law, district policy, and administrative regulations.
  11. 11Plan and conduct activities for a balanced program of instruction, demonstration, and work time that provides students with opportunities to observe, question, and investigate.
  12. 12Prepare, administer, and grade tests and assignments to evaluate students' progress.
  13. 13Assign and grade class work and homework.
  14. 14Enforce all administration policies and rules governing students.
  15. 15Provide students with disabilities with assistive devices, supportive technology, and assistance accessing facilities, such as restrooms.
  16. 16Prepare students for later grades by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks.
  17. 17Plan and supervise class projects, field trips, visits by guest speakers or other experiential activities, and guide students in learning from those activities.
  18. 18Confer with parents or guardians, other teachers, counselors, and administrators to resolve students' behavioral and academic problems.
  19. 19Keep informed about trends in education and subject matter specialties.
  20. 20Plan and supervise work-experience programs in businesses, industrial shops, and school laboratories.
  21. 21Meet with other professionals to discuss individual students' needs and progress.
  22. 22Prepare objectives and outlines for courses of study, following curriculum guidelines or requirements of states and schools.
  23. 23Prepare and implement remedial programs for students requiring extra help.
  24. 24Meet with parents and guardians to discuss their children's progress and to determine priorities for their children and their resource needs.
  25. 25Place students in jobs, or make referrals to job placement services.
  26. 26Select, order, store, issue, and inventory classroom equipment, materials, and supplies.
  27. 27Sponsor extracurricular activities, such as clubs, student organizations, and academic contests.
  28. 28Collaborate with other teachers and administrators in the development, evaluation, and revision of secondary school programs.
  29. 29Attend professional meetings, educational conferences, and teacher training workshops to maintain and improve professional competence.
  30. 30Confer with other staff members to plan and schedule lessons promoting learning, following approved curricula.
  31. 31Prepare reports on students and activities as required by administration.
  32. 32Attend staff meetings and serve on committees, as required.
  33. 33Perform administrative duties, such as school library assistance, hall and cafeteria monitoring, and bus loading and unloading.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • Teacher
  • Educator
  • Instructor
  • CTE Teacher
  • Auto Teacher
  • FACS Teacher
  • HSTE Teacher
  • Shop Teacher
  • Cooking Teacher
  • Masonry Teacher

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

EnglishDraws directly on English Language — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Computer Science / ICTDraws directly on Computers and Electronics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Electrical & Electronic Eng. StudiesDraws directly on Computers and Electronics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
BusinessDraws directly on Administration and Management — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
EconomicsDraws directly on Administration and Management — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Education and Training90%
  • English Language81%

    English

  • Computers and Electronics76%

    Computer Science / ICTElectrical & Electronic Eng. Studies

  • Customer and Personal Service71%
  • Public Safety and Security65%
  • Administration and Management65%

    BusinessEconomics

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleConstant contact
  • Dealing with customers or the publicHigh
  • Leading or coordinating othersVery high
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
  • Noisy environmentEvery day
  • Time spent sittingA little

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points, not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

12%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023, already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

What beginner adverts asked for

We read 8 internship and fresh-graduate adverts in related fields (August 2026). A small sample from one job site, not every vacancy.

8 of 8 were internships

Allowance or pay, when stated

RM850 – RM1,200

6 of 8 adverts printed an amount: usually between RM850 and RM1,200 a month. Many print none.

Languages named

Mandarin, Bahasa Malaysia

An empty line means the adverts did not say, not that employers have no requirement. Check each employer's own advert before you plan around it.

Related careers

If this interests you, these are worth a look too.

About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School

Source: SPA (Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Awam): Pegawai Perkhidmatan Pendidikan DG9 · as of Jan 2025

Check the salary figures yourself:SPA (Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Awam): Pegawai Perkhidmatan Pendidikan DG9

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org