Miri – 30 June 2014 – Curtin Consultancy Services (Malaysia) Sendirian Berhad, the consultancy arm of Curtin University, Sarawak Malaysia (Curtin Sarawak), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Manpower Department of the Ministry of Human Resources today for the development of skills training programmes that will help create a competitive workforce.

Signing for the Manpower Department was its director general, Chin Phaik Yoong, and the director of Industrial Training Institute (ILP) Miri, Rosnah Binti Muhamad Tahir, while Curtin Consultancy was represented by pro vice-chancellor and chief executive of Curtin Sarawak, Professor Jim Mienczakowksi, and Curtin Consultancy manager, Liew Mei Yin.

According to Chin, the department has been collaborating with Curtin Sarawak through its Industrial Training Institute (ILP) in Miri for some time, but this was the first time the collaboration was made official.

“We are very happy to be part of this collaboration as it has always been the department’s focus to create programmes in skills training that will make our youths more competitive in the job market.

“We have produced numerous skilled workers through various training programmes designed for our youths at our Industrial Training Institutes and we are glad that Curtin Sarawak has also decided to collaborate with us for the same purpose,” she said.

Meanwhile, Professor Mienczakowksi said Curtin Sarawak was happy to work with the Ministry of Human Resources, which is one of the main providers of skilled workforce in the country.

He said the training programmes it provides ranging from soft skills to advanced technical courses conducted through ILP and other training centres were consistent with Curtin Consultancy’s goal to leverage the university’s academic knowledge and resources to support the needs of the government, industry and community. 

“I think both parties have seen the considerable potential for collaboration to raise the level of technical training in this region and I am pleased we are taking it one step forward with the signing of this MoU today,” he said.

Professor Mienczakowski added that the scope of the MoU was broad enough to allow both parties to enhance the partnership as required and with the notable inclusion of the sharing of expertise, training facilities and technical advice, and the joint development of student development activities, could be of considerable benefit to both parties.  

“It is hoped that by working together, we will be able to provide the best possible teaching and learning facilities for the students, provide sufficient industry relevance by combining theory with practical study, and challenging the traditional boundaries of learning to ensure students are job-ready immediately upon graduation,” he said.

For more information on Curtin Sarawak, visit its website at www.curtin.edu.my, its Facebook page at facebook.com/CurtinUniversitySarawakMalaysia, Twitter profile at twitter.com/curtinsarawak, YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/user/CurtinUniSarawak, or Instagram at instagram.com/curtinsarawak.