Ramli sharing his knowledge with the students on their final year project.

BINTULU: The technical sector which requires highly skilled workers is now considered a first class profession in the world.

Advanced Technology Training Centre (Adtec) Bintulu director Dr Ramli Rashidi said this is because highly skilled workers are paid based on their expertise — the more skills they have the higher their income.

Unfortunately, the level of awareness and understanding of the importance of technical education in the state particularly among parents was still low, he lamented.

“Parents’ support is vital to encourage their children to pick up technical education and vocational and technical field is no more a second class sector because many people have succeeded in this technical area with high income,” he said.

He added the negative perception towards technical education must be changed and only by doing that, more local skilled workers could be produced.

The state government under the leadership of Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem, he said, had been aggressively promoting technical education among the young people as their first choice in order to meet the needs of industries in Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE).

In line with the state government’s aspiration to produce high quality skilled workers for the local market, he said Adtec Bintulu promoted its courses through various outreach programmes to lure the young generation in the rural areas to take up technical training.

He said even though the state was a bit late on this effort compared to Peninsular Malaysia, they were on the right track and would gradually increase the state’s skilled workforce.

Adtec Bintulu offers engineering courses with dual certification; namely Malaysian Skills Diploma Level 4 (JPK) and Diploma of Engineering Technology (DTK) which are accredited by the Malaysian Qualification Agency in six disciplines – diploma in oil and gas, diploma in automotive engineering, diploma in welding, diploma in electrical engineering, diploma in air-conditioning technology and diploma in mechatronics.

The centre was set up at a cost of RM162 million, with an additional RM72 million for state-of-the-art equipment.
For this coming July intake, Ramli said three courses will be offered -Malaysians Skills Diploma in automotive, welding and air-conditioning technology.

Entry to ADTEC Bintulu is SPM with credit in at least three subjects including BM, Mathematics and Science/Physics/technical subjects and a pass in English (MQA requirement) or SKM level 3 and a credit in at least one subject.

He also disclosed that Adtec Bintulu was planning to offer the Level 5 advanced diploma, probably by next year.

Its first batch of students will graduate in November this year and the convocation ceremony will be held at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching to be hosted by Kota Samarahan Industrial Training Institute.

Adtec Bintulu has enrolled a total of 257 students since its first intake in January last year.