By Nigel Edgar
KUCHING, Sept 21: Skills acquired from vocational training can now earn trainees high paying jobs, comparable to professional engineers.
Works Minister Baru Bian said the youth must take advantage of this as many skilled jobs, with training provided by Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions, offers high impact or high demand courses.
“In developed nations like Australia, Finland and Norway, TVET certificate holders are highly regarded a prestigious achievement and they are acknowledged for their skills, on par with high achievers in academics.
“Now that we (Malaysia) are moving towards Industrial Revolution 4.0, I urge the youth to take up TVET high impact courses, which can also earn them high income salaries,” he said when opening the ‘Jelajah TVET Pembinaan’ at the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB), here, today.
At a press conference afterwards, Baru said the media plays an important role to disseminate information regarding TVET training, and to tell the youth how easy it is to get into the high impact courses so that upon graduation, they could find themselves high paying jobs.
“The Malaysia Construction Academy (ABM) has been allocated some RM700 million by the federal government to provide TVET training to interested youth in high impact courses and it is free.
“For me it is a timely and a positive move to promote the high impact courses provided,” he continued.
Baru said the high impact courses provided by ABM included scaffolding erection, welding for 3G and 6G, wireman for PW1, PW2, PW3 and PW4, chargeman for A0, A1, B0, B1 and B4, gas pipe fitting (fitting/insulation), blasting and painting, non destructive testing, crane operation, plant operation, plumbing, as well as air conditioning and mechanical ventilation.
He said students graduating from these courses were often sought after in the oil and gas industry, particularly in Sarawak.
“We are aware that Malaysia has been taking in many foreign workers to do these 3Ds (dirty, dangerous and difficult) jobs but as we are now approaching into Industrial Revolution 4.0, many of these jobs are being done with technology and computers.
“Often these skilled workers do their jobs in air conditioned offices or comfortable environments,” said Baru. — DayakDaily
