Sabah government sponsors aerospace training for B40 students

 By Olivia Miwil - September 25, 2021 @ 10:29am

Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Dr Joachm Gunsalam (second right) and KKIP Aerospace Training Centre chief executive officer Aminuddin Zakaria (second left) visiting the facility in Sepanggar. - Pic credit Facebook KKIP Sabah

KOTA KINABALU: The first batch of students from B40 families in Sabah will be starting their course at KKIP Aerospace Training Centre (KATC) here.

KATC chief executive officer Aminuddin Zakaria said the inaugural intake would start their training on Oct 24.

"Many thanks to the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry and Yayasan Sabah for giving the sponsorship to 24 Sabahan B40 students.

"(This will let them) learn and acquire knowledge in aerospace and become skilled technicians once they graduate from here," he said during the signing of two Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) at the KATC facility in Sepanggar near here yesterday.

The training centre is taking in 240 students a year with a maximum of 60 students per intake every four months.

The one-year course is RM45,000 but graduates could earn an average salary between RM2,500 and RM3,500 depending on the industry.

Aminuddin said KATC understood that the current aviation industry was badly impacted by the pandemic leading to an uncertain future in job opportunities.

"As an intervention to this, KATC is preparing to equip the students with value-added training or courses so that they become valuable and can be absorbed as non-aviation industry technicians.

"We are currently doing match-making exercises with non-aviation industry technician players to identify the requirements and bridge the competency gaps," he said.

KATC, which was established in 2019, is expected to get its Civil Aviation Authority Malaysia and European Aviation Safety Agency approval in the next few weeks after a long delay due to Covid-19 pandemic and travel restrictions.

The training centre is also the enabler for Malaysia Aerospace Blueprint 2030 to provide aerospace training and education.

As for a long term business plan, Aminuddin said KATC is aiming to become an Aerospace Technological company in 2026 that is led by the people of Sabah.

"For 2021, the Year of Commitment with the hashtag #kasijadibah, I am confident we will meet the KPI that has been committed by the end of this year.

"Partnering with Aerodyne group, SMTRACK Berhad, Borneo Jet & Cargo Sdn Bhd and Borneo Drone Sdn Bhd is the best choice... (to achieve its goal as an Aerospace Technological company)," he said referring to signatories of the MoUs.

The ceremony was also witnessed by Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Dr Joachim Gunsalam and State Science, Technology and Innovation deputy permanent secretary Zainudin Aman.