Orang Asli Youths Trained With Building Skills

05 April 2010, By IRDA

New skills to help Orang Asli youths penetrate construction industry

JOHOR BAHRU, Monday, April 5th: It was a historical moment for some 500 villagers from Kampung Orang Asli Simpang Arang in Gelang Patah when they received the house keys to four (4) homes built by their very own youths under the Belia Tempatan Mahir Programme (BERTAM).

They also watched proudly as the 41 youths who built the houses received their Certificate of Completion for the Orang Asli Building Construction Course from Johor Menteri Besar Dato’ Haji Abdul Ghani Othman today.
The youths were part of the 200 youths who received their certificates upon graduation from the BERTAM project - one of the 13 programmes under the Human Capital Development Blueprint to upgrade the skills of local youths to ensure competency and competitiveness.

A total of six (6) courses were implemented under Project BERTAM, namely the Orang Asli Building Construction Course, Finishing Trade Course (Part One and Part Two), Air Conditioning Installation Course, Nursery Course and Welding Course.

The Orang Asli Building Construction Course was a collaborative effort between the Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) and Akademi Binaan Malaysia (ABM), a subsidiary of the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) and in partnership with Jabatan Hal Ehwal Orang Asli (JHEOA).

“With such programmes, we are able to mould local talents as supply to meet the demand of the workforce market especially in the business and construction sector. This also indirectly creates job opportunities for the locals and decreases the need to rely on foreign resources.

“This Orang Asli Building Construction programme is very unique because it involves the Orang Asli youths, which prior to this did not have any fundamental skills in the construction industry as their main economic activities were mostly fishing and agriculture.

“Nonetheless they had proved themselves very capable and talented in the building sector as we can see the evidence today – four (4) newly constructed houses for the village – thanks to the teaching and guidance of their trainers from ABM,” said Abdul Ghani, who is also IRDA co-chairmen.

In congratulating the course graduates, Abdul Ghani said it was youths like these who would be the catalyst for development in Iskandar Malaysia and to drive Iskandar Malaysia in realising its vision to be an Strong and Sustainable Metropolis of International Standing.

He added the 41 trained Orang Asli youths would be offered employment opportunities at construction sites for projects being developed within Iskandar Malaysia.

The BERTAM project kicked-off in August last year and ended recently on Mac 31st, with a total participation from 200 local youths residing in Iskandar Malaysia.

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About IRDA
The Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) is the regulatory authority mandated to plan, promote and facilitate the development of Iskandar Malaysia into a strong and sustainable metropolis of international standing, where living, working, business and leisure converge seamlessly.

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