ASC Is Best Platform To Produce World Champions In Skills

By Jenny Imanina Lanong Abdullah KUALA LUMPUR, April 29 (Bernama) -- The ASEAN Skills Competition (ASC) is the best platform for Malaysia to produce world champions in the field of skills. Human Resources Ministry's skills development department director-general, Dr Pang Chau Leong said, as host of ASC 2016 from Sept 19 to 29, Malaysia would highlight the special skills of the nation's youth. "We are not only hoping to become champions at the ASEAN level but also globally, and the ASC 2016 is a symbol of Malaysia's commitment towards producing world champions in the field of skills," he told Bernama at the launch and promotion of ASC 2016 recently. The ASC 2016 will be held at the Malaysian Agricultural Expo Park Serdang (MAEPS), and is jointly organised by the human resources, works, youth and sports, rural and regional development, education and plantation industries and commodities ministries. Pang said the competition included 25 areas of skills for youths aged below 22 and was the final selection for the nation's representatives to the World Skills Competition (WSC) 2017, which would be held in Abu Dhabi. He said from time to time, the human resources ministry conducted assessments to ensure the participants maintained and improved their level of efficiency and performance for the competition. Pang said selection for the 25 fields of skills considered important in this region were decided by ASEAN officials at the Official Delegates Meeting in June last year. Among the skills which will be competed are beauty therapy, cooking, restaurant services, cabinet making, welding and aircraft maintenance. According to Pang, the winner of the ASC 2016 gets a cash prize and certificate which is either the Malaysian Skills Certificate or the Malaysian Skills Diploma, depending on the performance. On the selection of participants to the WSC, Pang said they had to demonstrate excellent performance at the ASC 2016 and Malaysia was expected to compete in 10 to 20 skills at the championship. "Different from the ASC, the WSC only allows a nation to send one participant for each skill as compared to two participants for each skill at the ASC," he said. Pang said youths and the public, including parents were invited to view the competitions at the ASC 2016 as incentive and show of support to the participants. He said other programmes which would be held during the ASC 2016 were a national skills carnival and expo which would provide information on job opportunities in the different areas of skills. "Through the promotions which are being conducted, we hope to attract more than 100,000 visitors to the ASC 2016," he said. This is the second time Malaysia is hosting the ASC, with the first in 1995. --BERNAMA