200,000 engineers needed by 2020
KOTA KINABALU: Malaysia would need 200,000 engineers by 2020 to keep up with the tempo of development in the country and there would be plenty of employment opportunities for engineering graduates.
The Institution of Engineers Malaysia Sabah branch (IEMS) chairman Ir. Dr James Yong Hon Min said in his speech during the IEMS 42nd annual dinner on Saturday.
James said with the coming of 4th Industrial Revolution, new employment opportunity would move away from the traditional jobs of civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, chemical engineering, oil and gas, and would shift toward engineering jobs relating to robotics, digital and cloud based technology, IT, BIM, virtual reality, artificial intelligence and internet of things.
“We need to embrace modern technology, integrate it and apply it to our daily use in the 4th Industrial Revolution,” said James.
In this regard, IEM Sabah had been working closely with the State Government to promote Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) education and to provide competent technical and engineering advice particularly to the Ministry of Education and Innovation and the Ministry of Local Government and Housing, to solve technical and engineering problems of the day.
Yong disclosed that the State Government through the Minister of Local Government and Housing had approved 26 councillors throughout the width and breadth of Sabah, one for each district, from the combined list of engineers provided by IEM and ACEM Sabah Branch.
On STEM education, he said: “We provide industrial training and internship for diploma holders and graduates so that they can acquire job experience which is relevant and close to the industry and in collaboration with the Association of Consulting Engineers Sabah and Sabah Engineers Association, we have come up with an engineering scholarship for top local scholars from Sabah.”
Four outstanding students from local technical colleges received book prize awards rom IEMS during the annual dinner. They were Jamilah Binti Sariau from University Malaysia Sabah, John Paul I Majanil from TAS Institute of Oil & Gas, Mohd Taufik Bin Saidin from Kolej Teknikl Yayasan Sabah and Mohd Hariz Iswan Bin Sinuin from Politeknik Kota Kinabalu.
James urged the government and industry players to invest in proper education, resources and infrastructure to propel Malaysia into the 4th Industrial Revolution.
On IEM membership development, he said: “Today, our membership has grown to about 50,000 members with about 25% professional engineers and the balance 75% comprising either young engineers, graduate engineers or student members. Imagine 70% of them are youngsters. We have to capture and nurture this 70% youngsters for this is the only way to rejuvenate and move IEM forward. The seniors in IEM have to take good care of them and to nurture them, for they are the future leaders of our industry and our country. “
James pointed out that with the recent amendment to the Engineers Act, inspectors of work, technicians, technical staff, engineer assistants and technologists are eligible to join IEM as members driving IEM's membership numbers up to 100,000 over the next couple of years and propelling IEM as the biggest premier professional institution in the country.
Over 1,000 engineers, professionals and industrial players attended the annual dinner at a leading hotel here which was officiated by Assistant Finance Mjnister Kenny Chua Teck Ho representing Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Mohd Shafie Apdal.
Also present was IEM Deputy President Ir. Ong Ching Loon.