KUCHING: Human Resource Deputy Minister Datuk Mahfuz Omar believes that the youths in the state are skilful and talented but that their problem is they have no certificates to prove they have the skills and talents.
“When you have this sort of problem, landing a job can be very difficult,” he told reporters at a press conference after meeting Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg at Wisma Bapa Malaysia yesterday.
Mahfuz said the only way to solve this problem is to get the youths properly certified.
“It is for this purpose that we are organising the World Skills Malaysia Sarawak (WSMS). We want to help the youths to get the proper certificates to make them competitive in the job market,” the deputy minister said.
The WSMS 2019 competition is a skills competition for students of TVET institutions throughout the state. The participating students will be given the opportunity to showcase their skills in their given fields.
According to Mahfuz, the national contingent will be joining this year’s international level WSM to be held from Aug 22-27 in Kazan, Russia.
“20 participants will participate in the competition and two of them are Sarawakians, which shows that Sarawak has the youth talent,” he added.
The Sarawakian participants are Hanafi Osman (Fashion Technology) and Ahmad Naim Mohamad Rosliin (Painting & Decorating), both are from Sarawak Academy of Building (ABM).
On the Sarawak competition this year, Mahfuz said it is the second time that it is being held in Sarawak after its first in 2017.
WSMS 2019 competition will be held from Sept 9 to 13 but the venue is still under consideration.
Competition this time will be in 15 fields of skills, six more than in 2017.
Mahfuz said the competition will involve a strategic collaboration between agencies in the federal government and the state government.
