PENDANG GIATMARA'S MECHANICS CATCHING UP WITH SUPERBIKES, E-BIKES AND DRONES

PENDANG, July 2 (Bernama) - The Modenas and Kawasaki Motorcycle Technology Industry Centre of Excellence (ICoE) set up at GiatMARA Pendang will be a tie-up to produce mechanics adept at high-powered motorcycle technology to meet the needs of the two-wheel industry.

GiatMARA chief executive officer Ahmad Hamdi Ibrahim said the development of the ICoE was the result of collaboration between Modenas and GiatMARA since last year, which follows the development of the motorcycle manufacturing companies’ expertise and technology in the local and international markets.

“With support and cooperation of the industry (Modenas), GiatMARA will be able to ensure that the training provided to the trainees is relevant and meets the current and future market requirements... So that GiatMARA graduates can ‘walk into jobs’ at workshops or service centres under Modenas throughout the country.

“With that, our trainees will earn a higher salary than normal certificates. The scope of our cooperation is also broad, apart from placement of the trainees for our careers offered, we also aim to improve the knowledge of teaching staff through Train of Trainers (ToT) programme," he said after the ICoE Launch at the Pendang GiatMARA Centre here today.

Also present was the director-general of MARA Datuk Seri Azhar Abdul Manaf.

Commenting further, Ahmad Hamdi said in order to equip trainees with the new skills, two motorcycle workshops, namely a Kawasaki high-powered motorcycle technology workshop and a Modenas motorcycle technology workshop were also built and equipped with various equipment.

He said the workshops offer modules specific to motorcycle technology, including how to use Modenas and Kawasaki equipment as well as industry pioneering concepts, real work-based lessons, all these while learning with wages paid.

“Modenas also handed over three high-powered motorcycles, motorcycle engines for training and special equipment to diagnose repairs for the use of trainees, in addition to GiatMARA instructors who are also given special training to keep up with the latest technology,” he said.

In the meantime, Modenas also expressed the strategy to give exposure to GiatMARA trainees in the repair and maintenance of e-bikes (electric motorcycles) that are now increasingly popular for public mobility.

“At the moment, there are still not many technicians skilled in electric vehicles (EV) and with the exposure that Modenas will give to GiatMARA, we are confident that we can meet the needs of jobs in this rising trend.

“This industry collaboration does not stop at producing skilled mechanics or technicians but more importantly, it will also inspire entrepreneurs to rise in the automotive field from GiatMARA graduates, while another new field we will pay attention to is the repair of agricultural drones,” he said.

-- BERNAMA