By Nur Ashikin Louis
KUCHING, Oct 4: Sarawak will shift focus on the training of its construction workers from laying bricks to using advanced technology to do the groundwork.
Sarawak Deputy Minister for Urban Development and Natural Resources Datu Len Talif Salleh said the refocus on higher level construction skills is important to retain the local workforce in implementing State projects.
“Construction technology such as 3D printing is the ‘in thing’ in the future so we have to build our capacity as well. In other countries, they have adopted this 3D printing.
“So it is up to us to embrace this technology or else, we will face problems such as shortage in expertise and workers,” he said during a press conference after officiating at the Akademi Binaan Malaysia (ABM) Sarawak and Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) Technologies Graduation Ceremony held at CIDB Convention Centre Sarawak here today.
Len Talif pointed out that presently, the State government had established eight regional development agencies.
They are Upper Rajang Development Agency (URDA), Highland Development Agency (HDA), Northern Region Development Agency (NRDA), Rajang Delta Development Agency (RADDA), Sri Aman Development Agency (SADA), Integrated Regional Samarahan Development Agency (IRSDA), Greater Kuching Coordinated Development Agency (GKCDA) and Betong Integrated Development Agency (BIDA).
“Every agency is allocated RM1.5 billion and at least 60 or 70 per cent of it is for the infrastructure works.
“This means we need a lot of skilled workers for this technical work,” he added.
A total of 120 students from ABM Sarawak and CIDB Technologies received their CIDB Construction Skills Competency Certificates (SKKP) at the graduation ceremony.
Meanwhile, seven students were presented Outstanding Student Awards while ABM alumni Muhd Danial Danerick Abdullah was recognised as as Construction TVET Icon for Sarawak Region.
Until September this year, more than 65,000 skilled construction workers have been successfully trained by ABM Sarawak since its establishment in 2000, and CIDB Technologies which started operations in 2018.
Amongst those present were the Ambassador of Royal Embassy of Norway, Morten Paulsen and CIDB Malaysia chief executive and Akademi Binaan Malaysia (ABM) chairman Datuk Ahmad ‘Asri Abdul Hamid. — DayakDaily
