KUCHING: Seven youths from Baleh and Kapit areas can now look forward to brighter future prospects as they begin pursuing their diploma course under Sarawak Energy’s special capacity-building programme to prepare the local community for employment and economic opportunities created by the Baleh Hydroelectric Dam Project (HEP).
The seven are the first out of three batches to enrol in a 28-month Diploma in Occupational Safety & Health (OSH) course at a training institute in Miri. They are expected to graduate at the end of 2019.
Sarawak Energy is supporting about 20 youths to enrol for the course with the second and third intakes expected to take place early next year.
Through the programme, aspiring safety and health officers have a pathway to earn a locally and internationally recognised qualification and to become registered safety health officers with the Department of Safety and Health (DOSH).
Within the next two years, around 500 youths from Kapit division are expected to complete Sarawak Energy’s overall skills training programme to obtain certification for employment.
To date, 91 youths have been trained under various skills courses in the fields of construction, welding, scaffolding, safety and health, engine operation and maintenance, electrical, mechanical, metal blasting and coating, rigging and slinging, abseiling, administration, human resources and entrepreneurship.
Recently, Sarawak Energy enrolled 14 trainees for their Safety Passport training. All trainees under the special capacity-building programme will be enrolled for the Sarawak Energy Safety Passport training, which is designed by NIOSH to provide safety training for contractors and workers to work at the company’s construction premises.
Sarawak Energy’s Assistant General Manager for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Jiwari Abdullah said that Sarawak Energy is committed to working closely with the community in Baleh to ensure that they will benefit from the new wave of economic opportunities brought about by the project.
“Sarawak Energy wants to ensure that the local youths are equipped with the relevant skills to enable them to take up the jobs following the construction of Baleh HEP and the opportunities which come with the regional economic development in Baleh,” he said.
The Baleh Skill Training Programme, aligned with Sarawak Energy’s CSR community investment focus area on education and young people, will see the youth being absorbed into internship programmes after their training and also undergo coaching on soft skills to prepare them for the job market.
