Sheda contemplating training courses to address labour shortage

SIBU: Sarawak Housing and Real Estate Developers’ Association ( Sheda) is in talks with local institutions to come up with short courses to produce skilled and semi- skilled workers to mitigate labour shortage in the construction industry.

Sheda vice president Cecil Lau Ning Kiang, who is also Sibu branch chairman, disclosed this during the opening ceremony of Sheda Sibu Roadshow and Home Ownership Campaign ( HOC) 2019 at Wisma Sanyan here yesterday.

“It is hoped that the courses would serve to teach the skills and technique of the new as well as upgrade the existing workforce at the construction industry.

“The exact syllabus for the courses have not been finalised yet, but the courses would include the skills like bar bender/ concreter, brick layer/plaster.

Through these courses, Sheda hopes that the productivity in the construction industry and the quality of the workmanship would be improved,” he said.

“Thus, mitigate the issues such as delay in delivery and the workmanship issue.

“Once these issues are addressed, the construction industry would continue to grow and help to bring about sustainable development in the central region.”

Political secretary to Chief Minister Tan Kai represented Minister of Local Government and Housing Sarawak Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian to officiate at the opening ceremony.

Also present were political secretary to Chief Minister Daniel Bujal, Sheda Sibu branch advisor Dato Sri Joseph Ting and Rajang Port Authority ( RPA) chairman Clarence Ting.

The three- day roadshow runs from yesterday till April 14.

Earlier, Lau informed that the Home Ownership Campaign 2019 was first promoted in 1998, and is re-introduced as a nationwide campaign initiated by the government to encourage home ownership amongst Malaysians.

He assured that Sheda is supportive of this initiative and is organising this campaign at several towns and cities in Sarawak.

Towards this end, he encouraged all home buyers and investors to check out the roadshow to learn how they could benefit from the campaign, and what are incentives.

“Even though the campaign is not applicable to non-residential projects, we encourage those developers of commercial and industrial projects to offer similar incentives on their own accord in order to promote sales,” Lau said.