Snowdan (seated centre) at a group photo session with other guests and Balai Ringin PVATM office bearers at the function.
KUCHING: The Chief Minister’s Department (Promotion of Technical Education Division) saw an increase of 80 per cent in the number of students taking technical and vocational training this year, from 69 per cent last year.
According to its assistant minister , Datu Len Talif Salleh, the ministry’s key performance index is 95 per cent and he is confident that the target can be achieved soon.
“The development of heavy industry especially in the central region through the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy saw the need for our state to produce more local skilled workers,” said Len.
He was met by reporters after attending the Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC) family day at Santubong here yesterday.
Len added that with an estimated 40,000 students completing their secondary school after their Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) exams every year, around 15,000 would continue their studies in institutions of higher learning
like universities while others would look into equipping themselves with technical skills with proper certification.
“We are capable of nurturing such talent and what is important is the SCORE initiative will see dominant participation from the locals,” he added.
“Currently, we are short of technical specialists in SCORE industries, and we hope that through the state government’s initiative, we will have more locals to be technically certified,” he said.
Len added that among the industry skills that should be given attention were electrical, welding, and support services such as brick laying and scaffolding.
“We want the people to understand that technical field is not to be solely focused on oil and gas but also the construction industry,” he said.
With Sarawak aiming to be an industrial state by 2030, Len said support through the Education Ministry, government agencies at both state and federal levels was very much needed to turn the vision into reality.