Reduce foreign workforce, upskill and reskill locals - Sarawak Minister
SIBU, April 9 (Bernama) -- Sarawak should reduce its dependency on foreign skilled workforce and produce more competent and skilled local workers to cater for the big changes in the industry as the country moves towards the era of Industry 4.0.
Sarawak Minister of International Trade and E-Commerce Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh said the state government was committed in doubling its efforts and policies pertaining to technical and industrial education for the purpose.
"We need to upskill and reskill the workforce in the state with the required skill sets they need to work in an Industry 4.0. If we do not take the action now, we will be far left behind," said.
His text of speech was read by the chairman of Rancangan Sibu 1 (RS1) committee, Datuk Wong Kee Yew at the opening of thr Sibu Community College at Lot 2577-2580 Campus Park, Jalan Wawasan 11F here today.
To meet the needs of the industry, he said Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) based education was part of the government's efforts to produce quality workforce.
"Under the 11th Malaysia Plan, about 1.5 million job opportunities would be created where 60 per cent of them would need TVET based qualification," said Wong.
On Sibu Community College, he said it would further boost the state government's efforts in making Sibu as the educational hub in the central region.
The college offers Tourism and Adventure Certificate programme, which Wong hoped would be able to create more licensed tour guides, especially in Sibu.
-- BERNAMA
