KUCHING: As part of its Socio-Economic Enhancement Development (SEED) Programme, Sarawak Metro Sdn Bhd recently introduced a ‘Mandarin for Beginners’ language training programme for its staff and apprentices.
The initiative is a collaboration between Sarawak Metro and its Kuching Urban Transportation System (KUTS) Project’s Systems Package 1 Contractor, EMG JV Sdn Bhd.
As for the training resources for the programme, it is provided by Universiti Malaysia Sarawak’s (Unimas) Professional Continuous Excellent Learning (ProCEL) Department.
“The training programme aims to address some of the challenges faced by Sarawak Metro’s engineers and apprentices, especially those dealing with technology providers based in China,” Sarawak Metro’s director of Corporate Communication, SEED Programme and Bumiputera Relations, Alexius Barieng explained
when officiating the kick-off event for ‘Mandarin for Beginners’.
“The language barrier is one of the challenges faced by our team and our technology providers from China and hence we want to close that gap.
“I hope ‘Mandarin for Beginners’ will provide them the opportunity to learn basic Mandarin towards enhancing better communication and collaboration,” he said.
Among those present at the event were EMG JV project director Asmadi Manaf and Unimas’ Faculty of Education, Language and Communication deputy dean (Industry & Community Engagement), Dr Noratikah Mohamad Ashari.
About 80 of Sarawak Metro’s staff and its Young Talent Programme apprentices registered for the 14-week training programme.
Once they complete the programme, they will then be given the opportunity to take part in a more advanced Mandarin language programme, which will include technical engineering terminologies.
