Kota Kinabalu: Sabah needs an additional 16,000 skilled workers annually to meet the growing demand by 2020, said Federation of Accredited Department of Skills Development Malaysia (FeMAC).
Its Sabah representative, Nelson Mosinoh, said Tuesday that based on the Human Resources Ministry figures, all 60 local skills training centres will face a daunting task to fulfil the 143,700 jobs created by the Sabah Development Corridor (SDC).
He said at the present rate centres can only produce 8,000 skilled graduates or Malaysian Skill Certificate (SKM) holders each year, while it needs to chalk up 24,000 for the next six years.
"The State will face a widening gap on supply of skilled workers and may force the local economy to take more foreign workers," he said during a joint press conference between FeMAC and the Consortium of Bumiputera Private Skill Training Centres, here.
Consortium member Ani Mohd Ridzuan, meanwhile, pointed out that of the 8,000 total skilled graduates, only 20 per cent are highly skilled, attaining the qualification of SKM Level III and above.
The rest are Level I and II, which according to Mosinoh, are graduates who can earn roughly from RM850 to RM1,200 a month upon graduation.
He also said some students are currently facing problems paying their study loans, as most of them are from poor families from the rural areas.
"They also cannot proceed to higher SKM Levels, from III to VIII, before settling their study loans," said Mosinoh, adding that they are thus held back from reaching to higher levels, which can provide a comfortable income.
In a recent report, the Human Resources Ministry revealed that more jobs will be made available to youths by 2020, thanks to the SDC's 31 Entry Point Projects.
Deputy Minister Datuk Ismail Abdul Muttalib also said out of the total 143,700 jobs to be created, 15,891 would be in the tourism industry, 29,611 in the agriculture industry, 12,201 in the palm oil industry and 23,122 in the oil and gas sector.
The three groups also called on the government to step in to resolve the issue and proposed measures, similarly to the Malaysian Youth Council to tackle the problem.
The measures are:
- Increase the National Skill Development Fund from RM300 million to RM1 billion beginning 2014.
- Initiate strategic collaboration between Private and Public Skills Training Institute and industries.
- Set up a special State fund on the development of skilled workers.
- Provide access to National Dual Training System (SLDN) centres to the National Skill Development Fund's grants and financial assistance.
- Improve the SLDN Funds (increase students and study fees allowances) in Sabah. - DailyExpress
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