November 08, 2011 11:14 AM
Sabah Oil & Gas Industry Expected To Create Plenty Of Jobs
KOTA KINABALU, Nov 8 (Bernama) -- Sabah's oil and gas industry is expected to create plenty of jobs in years ahead, according to a prominent talent recruitment company.
The RM4.6 billion Sabah Ammonia-Urea (Samur) plant project in Sipitang, owned by Petronas Chemicals Group Bhd, itself will create at least 400 jobs for the locals once it is fully operational.
Other Petronas' projects that offer great prospects include the Sabah Oil and Gas Terminal, the Sabah-Sarawak Gas Pipeline Project, the Kimanis and Lahad Datu electricity power plants, the Gumusut-Kakap deepwater project and related ongoing developments.
Kuala Lumpur-based C N Dumo Consulting Worldwide Sdn Bhd Chief Executive Officer Aminudin Sajadi said school leavers, young adults and mature-age workers were expected to fill the bulk of the new positions.
"Applicants don't necessarily need to have university degrees. However, the oil and gas industry is a specialised field that needs trained manpower or specialist skills. That means we cannot rely on general skills in a unique field.
"As far as I can see, this is a big challenge for the local people in Sabah because this state still lacks trained manpower for this industry, but thanks to the far-sighted management of Petronas, the setting up of the Kimanis Petroleum Training Centre (KTC) is being initiated by the oil corporation to cater for the booming oil and gas industry in the state," he told Bernama here today.
Aminudin, who has been in the industry for more than two decades, expressed confidence that Sabahans would be given priority by Petronas in terms of employment and business opportunities.
The KTC is now operating from a temporary premises in Membakut where the first intake of 25 trainees recently began their programme.
Petronas plans to complete the construction of the permanent campus by 2013 in Kimanis at a cost of RM50 million.
"I believe with the completion of the KTC, more trained Sabahans will be ultimately absorbed or become part of the Petronas oil gas project team," he said.
The KTC also augments Petronas' existing training efforts in collaboration with five institutions in Sabah, namely the Institut Kemahiran Mara, Institut Latihan Perindustrian and Kolej Yayasan Sabah in Kota Kinabalu , Giatmara in Kimanis and Institut Latihan Teknikal and Perdagangan in Papar.
Aminudin added the Sabah government could also assume a role by sponsoring students to undergo training or attend courses in the field of oil and gas in the peninsular or overseas to complement Petronas' effort.
-- BERNAMA
