Taib: SCORE’s manpower needs can be met

SIBU: Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud is confident that educational institutions in the state are capable of producing the manpower needed by Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE). He said this was because the planning of education had been undertaken seriously and refined by institutions of higher learning in the state. “From now on we are changing it (education planning) because we know what kind of skills we need for SCORE. In fact, we have already projected it and will refine it gradually. “I am proud to say that all universities and colleges have decided, on their own, to see that they really can meet SCORE’s manpower requirement in the years ahead,” he said at Laila Taib College (KLT)’s inaugural graduation ceremony here yesterday. A total of 316 graduates received their Diploma in Architecture, Diploma in Quantity Surveying, Diploma in Civil Engineering, Diploma in Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Diploma in Business Management at the event. Taib, who is also Minister of Resource Planning and Environment, said SCORE was expected to be able to attract at least RM200 billion investments in heavy industries in 20 years time. For this to materialise, he said it needed about 50,000 graduates in technical fields and over 300,000 diploma and certificate holders in various fields of expertise. “It is in this context that I would like to remind you on how important it is for us to popularise the idea of getting people to choose technical and vocational training in the future so as to exploit the job opportunities that will arise from SCORE. “I do believe Sarawak is well equipped with it.” Nonetheless, he said he was still having a hard time trying to see how fast he could build up technical or vocational schools to benefit youths in the rural areas. “I am hopeful that this transformation will change Sarawak to produce much more well-disciplined and technically-oriented manpower.” On KLT, he hoped the graduates would set up a new trend in the pattern of education in the state. KLT, he added, was right smack in the middle of the hierarchy of manpower training facilities in Sarawak. “I have great confidence that KLT can fill that diploma level training very well.” Among those present were Taib’s wife Puan Sri Ragad Kurdi Taib, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Numpang, Second Finance Minister Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh, Minister of Infrastructure Development and Communication Dato Sri Michael Manyin and KLT chief executive officer Andrew Wong. http://www.theborneopost.com/2013/02/04/taib-scores-manpower-needs-can-be-met/