Industry 4.0 calls for sharing of expertise and resources
SIBU: The trend of Industry 4.0 introduced in the current automation and data exchange in manufacturing technologies, smart factory, the cloud, big data, blockchain and bitcoin has evolved quickly.
Stating this, University College of Technology Sarawak (UCTS) director of Centre for Continuing Education and Professional Development, Associate Professor Dr Ramli Rashidi said this evolution required higher education institutions and industry to associate in sharing expertise and resources to meet the niche business of both parties.
“We welcome any suggestion from the Electrical-Electronics Association of Malaysia (TEEAM) to work and move forward with us in research and development, not only in electrical and electronic products but across all fields,” he said when welcoming TEEAM to UCTS Friday.
Dr Ramli said as a stateowned university, UCTS wants to position its organisation to be on par with the mainstream university, but it needs support from private sector (local and international) in terms of expertise and joint research projects.
He said higher education institutions in the country have to align themselves with industry players to be global contributors to the evolution of the digital economy.
“Therefore, UCTS welcomes more participation of industry players into our education system as our university policy demands that more collaboration be linked with the industry to nurture the best practice of the industry into the education system to benefit the nation and humanity,” he said.
According to him, UCTS has been challenged by the Electrical Association of Sarawak and Sabah (EASS) to start the electrical competence course for their members, and UCTS has managed to set up the facilities to carry out the programme.
Their advice was what UCTS wanted, and the collaboration has been fruitful.
“We have produced a number of graduates to acquire the Electrical Competence Certificate awarded by Electrical Inspectorate Unit (EIU) for EASS members in Sibu.
“We have high hopes that with continuous effort and full support of the association, we will be able to produce more competent workers for Sarawak and Sabah in the competitive environment of digital economy and provide more people with electrical competency for the future of work.
“Our Electrical Engineering students are also to take up Wireman and Chargeman course as additional certificates to their degree programme.
“This is competitive strategies for our future graduates to be marketable in the world of work where they have the competency to be competitive,” Dr Ramli said.
TEEAM president Yong Ah Huat and EASS chairman Hii Hua Chuon were among those present.