Len (second left), with Abdul Aziz on his right, listens to a student explaining the components of an engine at one of the booths at PPKS Carnival. — Photos by Jeffery Mostapa
KUCHING: Sarawak Skills Development Centre (PPKS) has reached another milestone with the signing of memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with KnowledgeCom Corporation (M) Sdn Bhd (KCOM), Yunco Building Service Sdn Bhd and the state-branch of Construction Academy of Malaysia (ABM).
Assistant Minister for Workforce Development and Training Datu Len Talif Salleh witnessed the inking of the MOU documents between PPKS chairman Tan Sri Datuk Amar Abdul Aziz Husain and representatives of the three other parties at PPKS campus here yesterday.
“I sincerely hope that this strategic partnership will continue to grow and contribute to the growth of our state’s human capital development,” said Len, who is also PPKS patron, prior to the signing ceremony that coincided with the PPKS Carnival.
The MOU, according to the assistant minister, is a strategic move by PPKS to come up with new programmes slated for meeting the needs and requirements of niche industries in Sarawak.
The partnership with KCOM will enable PPKS to further develop the research and teaching methods at its Centre of Excellence in Information Technology (CoET).
CoET, Len said, served to train students, graduates, working adults and retrenched workers in certified programmes such as information communication technology (ICT), manufacturing and sales services, and also in the financial industry.
The MOU with Yunco Building Service, he explained, would strengthen PPKS’ ‘Steel Truss Installer Programme’ aimed at bolstering the state’s construction industry.
The collaboration with ABM Sarawak would enable PPKS to produce welders and welding inspectors with ABM certification.
Meanwhile, Abdul Aziz said the three-day PPKS Carnival – which ends today – was to provide parents and prospective students some insights into technical and vocational education.
“PPKS remains attuned to the needs of the industries in Sarawak; which is why we are also providing high-impact skills training such as the trainee aircraft maintenance engineer (programme),” he said, adding that PPKS was planning on having a ‘Meister in Mechatronics’ and ‘Meister in Automotive’ programmes next year.
“With the completion of PPKS Mukah Campus, we plan to set up a metallurgy course programme to suit the needs of industries under SCORE (Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy),” Abdul Aziz said.
Several activities were held throughout the carnival such as exhibitions by government agencies, industries and private companies, sports competitions like football, fishing and futsal as well as indoor games such as chess, darts and table tennis.