CONSTRUCTION COURSES IN LIMBO OVER FUNDS

Construction courses in limbo over funds

TAWAU July 25, 2012: The Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) has been urged not to stop funding courses for youths to become skilled construction workers.

Syarikat Putra Muhamiru, which handles the intake of trainees for courses conducted by Akademi Binaan Malaysia (ABM), said most youths in rural areas are unemployed and unable to pay for the courses.

In view of this, the company hopes the fund from CIDB will not be discontinued to ensure more local youths could be trained to join the industry.

Syarikat Putra Muhamiru manager Mahat Ismail said his company is ready to conduct another programme here and in Kalabakan this year, but unemployed youths are disappointed to learn that the federal funding will be stopped.

“If the funding is stopped, youths who are unemployed will have to pay for the courses themselves,” he said yesterday.

This will defeat ABM’s objective to produce more local skilled and semi-skilled construction workers to help reduce the country’s dependency on foreign labour, he said.

Mahat said ABM provides systematic construction skills training with experienced and skilled trainers to produce productive workers who are aware of safety aspects and are quality oriented to cater to the needs of the expanding construction industry.

The target groups include school leavers and youths aged 16 years and above, he said.

He said those who completed the courses in building maintenance, building wiring, heavy machinery operation, crane operation, piping works, brick application, tiling and others will receive a “green card” which shows they are skilled workers.

by Alen Kee