GEORGE TOWN, April 13 — The Penang government will be extending its sponsorship to apprenticeship programmes in electronics to RM6 million, Lim Guan Eng announced today.

The caretaker Penang chief minister said the funds is to top up the RM2 million sponsorship released in 2015 for the Malaysian Meister programme Level 1 (MMPL1) Mechatronics programme.

“I am proud that in a short span of two years since the initial launching of the Malaysian Meister programme Level 1 Mechatronics programme, we have trained five batches of apprentices and today, we are officially launching the Electronics in Automation Technology programme here,” he said in his office in Komtar.

Lim said this programme is essential to train and provide skilled workers in the electronics industry.

He added that the programme has since been revised to include the Electronics programme and the total sponsorship covers RM3,000 per apprentice for the Skills Diploma level and RM1,000 per apprentice for the Advanced Skills Diploma level.

He said the state had approved the additional RM6 million allocation to top up the RM2 million when the programme proved successful.

“It was decided before April 10 so we did not make this decision as a caretaker government. Today is only the signing ceremony and launch for the new programme,” Lim said.

He said six host companies have committed to participate in the upcoming new intake for the Mechatronics programme under MMPL1 while two host companies have signed up for the new electronics in automation technology programme.

“I hope more companies will be involved in this to capitalise on this programme to train up apprentices and produce skilled workers,” he said.

Source: Malay Mail Online

Photo Credit: CM Lim Guan Eng’s Facebook