PENANG, Monday, 30 September PBA Resources Sdn Bhd (PBAR) and Penang Regional Development Authority (PERDA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly provide water industry competency training programmes to rural youth in Penang.
These programmes are SKM (Sijil Kemahiran Malaysia) programmes that offer the following 3 key potential benefits to all school-leavers:
- Water supply industry technical competency certifications that are recognised by the Malaysian Federal Government;
- Access to technical jobs offered by other water supply operators in Malaysia; and
- Pursuit of rewarding long-term careers in a public service industry that supplied an essential daily resource to 30.9 million people in Malaysia in 2018.
In the face of increasing water demand and global climate change, the Malaysian water supply industry is becoming an increasingly important industry, and it will definitely require more manpower in the future.
However, the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) has set a key performance indicator (KPI) for water supply operators to obtain recognised competency certifications for all their technical personnel.
The minimum technical competency certifications are SKM certifications, such as the certifications issued by the JPK after attending training at the Penang Water Services Academy (PWSA).
PWSA is managed by PBAR, a 100% owned subsidiary of PBA Holdings Bhd. PWSA helped the Department of Skills Development (JPK) in the Ministry of Human Resource (MoHR) to develop the specific skills standards and occupational framework for water supply industry SKM programmes. As such, JPK-SKM certifications are definitive certifications which are recognised by the Federal Government.
PERDA operates PERDA-TECH, a JPK-accredited training institute, located in Nibong Tebal, Seberang Prai Selatan. PERDA-TECH focuses on providing accredited training programmes to rural youth.
Under our memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed today, PBAR will provide:
- Water supply industry SKM training programmes to PERDA-TECH trainees;
- Specialised and fast-track training programmes to relevant parties through PERDA-TECH;
- Trainers and training materials for all water supply industry-related programmes at PERDA-TECH; and
- Certification programmes for PERDA-TECH academic staff.
On its part, PERDA will manage the training facilities, food and refreshments, transportation, accommodation and all other trainee arrangements related to the provision of water supply industry-related programmes. This MoU covers a period of two years, commencing from 27.9.2019.
PBAPP is fully committed towards cultivating the growth of a technically competent water supply industry workforce of the future. To date, the PBA Group of Companies, through PBAR, have established three “smart partnerships” to offer PWSA training courses throughout Malaysia:
| No. | Date | PBAR “Smart Partnership” |
| 1 | 3.12.2018 | Collaborative Agreement with KYM STES Sdn Bhd, the company that manages the Malaysia Water Institute (MWI) in Melaka. MWI is serving as a PWSA branch campus. |
| 2 | 2.5.2019 | Collaborative Agreement with Malaysian Water Academy Sdn Bhd, the company that manages the Malaysian Water Academy (MyWA) in Kuala Lumpur. MyWA is also serving as a PWSA branch campus. |
| 3 | 27.9.2019 | MoU with PERDA, with PWSA agreeing to conduct its water supply industry competency training programmes at PERDA-TECH. |
We will continue to share our knowledge, experience and expertise to expand the scope of water supply industry competency training in Malaysia. We need a pool of technically competent water industry personnel to serve the nation, now and in the future.
Thank You.
