All new industries need special skills. In response to demand, a halal industry course is being offered at the Penang Skills Development Centre. After only a year, 62 students have graduated and all have been found employment in various commercial sectors. This six-month course offers classroom work and on-the-job training on halal applications.
There are about 1.57 billion Muslims in the world today, and the number is growing. This means that the demand for safe, high-quality halal food will rise astronomically. Undeniably, this industry holds vast and untapped potential. In 2008 alone, the market for halal food products was worth an estimated US$2.1trillion (RM7.35trillion) – and this did not take logistics and packaging into account.
