KUCHING: Sarawak Metro Sdn Bhd reached another significant milestone yesterday with the graduation of the pioneer batch of apprentices under its Young Talent Programme (YTP).
The 10 YTP apprentices who graduated had undergone two years of apprenticeship in various respective fields, and upon completion, all were absorbed as full-time staff of Sarawak Metro.
Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) chairman Tan Sri Datuk Amar Abdul Aziz Husain was on hand to present the certificates of completion to the graduates during a graduation ceremony held at the Grand Margherita Hotel here last Thursday (July 13).
In his speech, he encouraged all the young talents to fully utilise what they had learnt from their mentors as a solid foundation towards developing themselves as subject matter experts.
“I hope that the knowledge and skills you have obtained during your apprenticeship will form a solid foundation for you to flourish and eventually master your specific fields, as well as contribute to the overall success of our Kuching Urban Transportation System (KUTS) Project,” he said.
Meanwhile, in his opening remarks, Sarawak Metro chief executive officer Mazli Mustaffa described the graduation ceremony as a major milestone for the company in its efforts to develop human capital, particularly under its Socio-Economic Enhancement Development (SEED) Programme.
In addressing the YTP graduates, he reminded them of the opportunities available to them, especially in gaining first-hand experience and learning directly from the original equipment manufacturers (OEM) related to the Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART) system in China and other countries.
He also lauded them for their role as “ambassadors” for Sarawak Metro during their apprenticeship, as they were also involved in the various stakeholder engagement exercises organised by the company.
At the graduation ceremony, the Best Apprentice (Project) Award was presented to Aman Abadi Zolkipli, while Mohamad Hafiz Mohamad Khaduwi received the award for Best Apprentice (Corporate).
There were also awards presented to the mentors, with the Awesome/Coolest Mentor Award presented to Nor Nasyriq Shahirudin and the Awesome/Coolest Supporting Mentor Award presented to Nik Ashraf Nik Mohamed Ariff.
Other YTP graduates are Aizwan Saufiee Muhamad, Alan Teh Chia Jian, Aminur Afiq Jamuri, Farzaitulnatrah Husain, Nur Atiqah Jepri Nor, Sara Athynna Mohamad Kamal Basheer, Qhalief Sapawi, and Eyreca Jyubalta Kenedy.
Sarawak Metro, a wholly owned subsidiary of SEDC, introduced the YTP in its effort to create a pool of skilled manpower for the KUTS Project.
The programme is one of the initiatives under the SEED Programme, which aims to create added value through the procurement process of the KUTS Project.
Since the YTP’s introduction, Sarawak Metro has recruited two batches of apprentices, with the second batch comprising 16 young talents.
In total, the YTP aims to produce 50 graduates by the year 2025. They will undergo similar mentoring, training, and attachment programmes during their two-year apprenticeship.
