MELAKA, May 30 (Bernama) — Melaka will soon be a training centre to produce competent and skilled water industry professionals through the Melaka Water Institute (MWI).
Syarikat Air Melaka Berhad (SAMB) deputy chairman Datuk Zaidi Attan said MWI will be actively involved in reviewing, identifying and developing the National Occupational Skills Standards (NOSS) together with relevant agencies and institutions through smart partnerships.
“The establishment of MWI is aimed at assisting water supply operators in the country to ensure the key performance indicators (KPI) set by the National Water Services Commission (SPAN), including the need for staff to be recognised as qualified persons to operate water treatment and water distribution plants, can be achieved.
“Apart from this, MWI’s role is to produce a competent work team for water operators, contractors, vendors, and plumbers in the future and it is estimated that there are more than 23,000 employees in the water industry in the country,” he told reporters after the strategic partnership and memorandum of understanding (MoU) signing ceremony between MWI and strategic partners, including the Labour Department, PBA Resources Sdn Bhd and Malaysian Water Academy Sdn Bhd.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali as well as SAMB chief executive officer and MWI chairman Abd Rashid Ab Rahman.
Zaidi also said that for a start, about 700 SAMB staff will be trained to improve their skills and earn the necessary qualifications commensurate to their skills.
He said among they stood to reap benefits that included salary increases in line with the qualifications and certificates received from the Labour Department so that they could improve their economic standing.
“Some SAMB staff started work with a Standard Six qualification but they actually are some of the experienced and skilled staff, therefore one of the efforts implemented under MWI is to raise their qualifications with a recognised certificate,” he added.
He said that MWI is also working with Universiti Melaka, previously known as Universiti Islam Melaka, to offer new courses in the field of water management.
MWI I, a subsidiary of SAMB, was established in March last year.
Source: BERNAMA News Agency