KUCHING: Recently Sarawak Skills Development Centre (PPKS) hosted the IBM Coding Workshop for 66 students from SMK Datuk Patinggi Haji Abdul Gapor Stampin, Kuching.
Held at the International College of Advanced Technology Sarawak (i-CATS), a subsidiary of PPKS, the workshop was a joint initiative between the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Research, Sarawak (MESTR), IBM and PPKS.
Some 15 IBM volunteers from 10 countries, with the assistance of 31 PPKS/i-CATS staff members and interns, facilitated the coding workshop.
Aptly titled ‘SkillsBuild: Watson Maker Workshop’, the main objective of the three-hour workshop was to introduce students to chatbots and show how human-computer conversation services work.
In a nutshell, a chatbot is a computer programme designed to simulate conversation with human users, especially over the Internet.
During the workshop, the students learned about artificial intelligence, machine learning technologies and were introduced to the key concepts related to designing and building an empathetic chatbot.
For the students, a major highlight of the workshop was the hands-on approach, as they worked on designing and programming chatbots to contribute towards the betterment of society.
Sharing his thoughts on the workshop, PPKS Executive Director Hallman Bin Sabri highlighted, “On behalf of the PPKS Group of Institutions, I wish to express my thanks to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Research, Sarawak and IBM for co-organising this workshop.
“We live in an age characterised by breathtaking advances in technology and an ever-evolving economic landscape. It is therefore important for all of us to prepare the youth for a world filled with exciting opportunities.
“Indeed, this workshop is in line with the ongoing initiative by the State Government to reach out to the community and promote the importance of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education.”
The IBM volunteers (IBMers) are in Kuching as part of IBM’s Corporate Service Corps Programme. They are attached to various organisations in Kuching, including PPKS.
Since its launch in 2008, IBM’s Corporate Service Corps (CSC) programme has contributed over 3,000 participants on over 275 teams to nearly 40 countries around the world, delivering over USD 70 million in market value consulting on over 1,000 projects.
For more information on the programmes offered by PPKS, call 082-364198/362475. Information can also be obtained from PPKS’s website: www.ppks.edu.my.
