72 trainees from Montfort Youth Training Centre graduate

22 Dec 2021

By Wartawan Nabalu News

KOTA KINABALU: 72 trainees of Batch 21 have graduated from Montfort Youth Training Centre (MYTC) om the 21st Graduation Ceremony on Tuesday.

They have completed their two-year Montfortian programme which comprised of technical industrial skills training and the five-dimensional character formation process.

A total of 37 trainees sat for the Sijil Kemahiran Malaysia (SKM) examination in motor mechanic (18), carpentry (6) and refrigeration & air-conditioning (13).

Meanwhile, a total of 16 trainees under the welding course also managed to pass the 6G and 3G SMAW Competency Test under the CIDB Technology and 19 trainees from the Oil Palm Plantations Conductorship course (OPP), a collaborative effort with the MEOA.

All trainees passed their examination with eight (8) scored above 90 per cent which entitled the Terampil Cemerlang (Excellent Score), a monetary award of RM150.

This graduation also marks the inaugural batch of the 19 trainees completing their training in the MYTC-MEOA Oil Palm Plantation Conductorship course which is a collaborative partnership that started in June 2019.

The Ceremony was humbly graced by Tan Sri Datuk Seri Panglima Bernard Giluk Dompok, Chairman of MYTC Board of Governors (BOG) in the presence of a few distinguished guests namely Mr. Jeffrey Ong, President of the Malaysian Estate Owners’ Association (MEOA), two other members of the BOG, Mr. Chiang Wei Chia and Mr. Joseph Tek, Bro. Francis Xavier Gasper, representing the Brothers of St. Gabriel together with the Management and staff of MYTC.

Bernard during his speech stated that in the past, the country may have had a mistaken perception about Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET).

“People assumed that TVET graduates are only for those who are poorly qualified, who couldn’t go to university and who have no choice but had to work as a farmer in their family farm instead of going to school,” he said.

However, he said times have changed, TVET is now the education of the moment with the governments focus on the upgrading of TVET. He also thanked the sponsors and benefactors for their support in the Montfort Mission and continues to seek their further commitment to this worthy cause.

The Trainee of the Year Award for this batch goes to Jackrian Jikum, 21 years old from Kampung Kolam, Damai Luyang, Kota Kinabalu. He studied Refrigeration & Air-conditioning Mechanics (Domestic) where he achieved his first-class distinction in his SKM Level 2 and Level 3 examination results and as the prefect in-charge of Food and Beverages in the residential campus, he has performed his duty to the satisfaction of the residential care character formation process.

Jackrian said that he aims to be a successful entrepreneur in the future.

Amidst the challenges post by the covid-19 pandemic, the Institution managed to obtain job placement for about 70 per cent of the graduates under the Montfort Job Placement Scheme with companies in Penang, Labuan and Sabah with some decided on furthering their studies and going on their own.