KOTA KINABALU: The first batch of 51 students sponsored by Petronas to undergo six months training at TAS Institute of Oil & Gas, Sabah, recently graduated with a Business and Technician Education Council UK (BTEC) Intermediate Certificate in Engineering in Oil & Gas Operations.
TAS Institute is wholly owned by UMSLink-SilverKris Sdn Bhd and the course is fully sponsored by the Exploration & Production Operations & Maintenance Services (EPOMS), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Petronas Carigali Sdn Bhd.
The sponsorship was part of EPOMS’ efforts to train and develop competent local technicians for the oil and gas industry, especially in the field of operations and maintenance.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony, chairman of UMSLink-SilverKris Sdn Bhd, Rizal Othman said oil giants and service providers in Malaysia, especially those operating in waters off Sabah, were finding it difficult to employ suitable locals with the right kind of skills needed by the industry.
In addition to major discoveries in deep-water fields off Sabah, coupled with an increase in downstream activities in the state, the need for skilled workers to operate oil and gas facilities had made the shortage more pressing than ever.
He added that experts had estimated that 28,000 skilled personnel would be needed over the next decade to fully realise the planned surge of investment in the Sabah’s oil and gas industry.
Petronas has been actively involved in the development of skilled human capital in Sabah through a number of its community projects including the setting up of the Kimanis Petroleum Training Centre.
The national oil company also collaborates with five skills training institutions in the state aimed at equipping local youths with the skills required by the industry.
The five institutions are Pusat GiatMARA Kimanis, Institut Latihan Perindustrian Kota Kinabalu, Kolej Yayasan Sabah, Institut Latihan Teknikal & Perdagangan Papar and Institut Kemahiran Mara Kota Kinabalu.