SIBU: The Public Utilities Ministry will play an active role to ensure sufficient supply of competent wiremen and chargemen, as the state’s demand for these skilled workers is growing.
According to the ministry’s director of electricity supply Syed Mohamad Fauzi Shahab, currently there are only 5,254 certified wiremen and chargemen.
The ministry targets to have 15,000 of these skilled personnel by 2020 to meet the needs of the growing economy, spurred by Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE).
Syed Mohamad pointed out that to achieve this target, processes, procedures and requirements to obtain such competency would be simplified without compromising training standards and quality.
“We will continue to work with all accredited institutions, electrical contractors and educational bodies to promote electrical competency courses,” he said after the signing of a Letter of Understanding (LOU) on the implementation of a wiremen course between University College Technology Sarawak (UCTS) and Electrical Association of Sarawak and Sabah (EASS) here yesterday.
EASS was represented by its chairman Hii Hua Chuon, and UCTS by its deputy vice-chancellor (academics) Prof Dato Dr Sabaruddin Mohamad.
Syed Mohamad said at the moment, 19 institutions including UCTS were accredited to conduct the wireman and chargeman competency courses, with current total enrolment of about 500 students.
He said one of the ways to promote these courses would be to allow accredited institutions to collaborate among themselves on the sharing of resources and training facilities.
“In addition, students can enroll for these courses without work experience,” he added.