PORT KLANG, 27 AUGUST 2024 – Northport (Malaysia) Bhd (“Northport”), a member of MMC Group, has launched the Northport Apprenticeship Programme as an initiative to enhance local talent development and empower the workforce within its community. This programme aims to equip aspiring local talents with the essential knowledge and skills needed for employment as prime mover drivers within Northport and its strategic partners in the ports and logistics industry.

The Northport Apprenticeship Programme was launched in conjunction with the ‘Program Latihan dan Profesionalisme Industri Pelabuhan dan Haulier Peringkat Kebangsaan’. This training and licensing programme, spearheaded by the Port Klang Authority (“PKA”), and jointly participated by Northport and Westports Malaysia Sdn Bhd (“Westports”), was officially launched by the Minister of Transport, YB Anthony Loke Siew Fook, and the Minister of Human Resources, YB Steven Sim Chee Keong, during a ceremony held at Northport.

“The Northport Apprenticeship Programme is an initiative aimed at elevating our local talent by equipping them with the necessary knowledge and skills to pursue careers in the port and logistics industry. Together with our strategic business partners, we embarked on this initiative to help fulfill the industry’s demand while addressing the mismatch in the port and logistics job market by reducing reliance on foreign labour,” said Dato’ Azman Shah Mohd Yusof, Chief Executive Officer of Northport.

The apprenticeship programme will be coordinated by Northport through its training centre, the Northport International Centre of Excellence (“NICE”). Established in 2014, NICE is a HRD Corp-accredited training centre and has been appointed as a Pusat Latihan Bertauliah since 1st October 2023. NICE offers three National Occupational Skills Standards (“NOSS”), namely the Terminal Tractor Operations, Rubber Tyred Gantry (“RTG”) Operations and Ship-to-Shore Crane Operations.

This year, the apprenticeship programme will be conducted in two batches. Each batch will consist of 15 trainees who will undergo a 38-day training programme, including theoretical instruction on prime mover operations, field training, on-the-job training and assessment. Upon completion, the trainees will receive the Sijil Kemahiran Malaysia (“SKM”) Level 1 and the Skills Proficiency Card (“SPC”), and will be offered employment with Northport or its strategic partners. The partners include Infinity Logistics & Transport Sdn Bhd, Baiduri Dimensi Sdn Bhd, IT Portlink Sdn Bhd, Nur Ajwa Consultant Sdn Bhd, Edvalue Logistics Sdn Bhd, Asia Manja Sdn Bhd, and Aim Deal Group Sdn Bhd.

“We are proud to be recognized as one of the strategic partners for this programme, which will help us overcome the shortage of drivers needed to run our daily operations in the terminal. By participating in this initiative, we are excited to play our role in providing the participants with an opportunity to build a career in Malaysia’s fast-growing ports and logistics sector,” said Mr. Yeo Peng Leng, Managing Director of IT Port Link Sdn Bhd.

The Northport Apprenticeship Programme successfully attracted 50 individuals from the Port Klang community to participate in the programme. By offering a comprehensive curriculum that encompasses both technical and soft skills training, the programme ensures that participants are well-equipped to meet the demands of the industry. In a broader context, the programme aims to assist the Government in achieving its socio-economic objectives while supporting the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (“TVET”) initiatives. It also ensures that participants gain valuable industry-specific skills, making them an ‘industry-ready’ workforce and placing them on a specific career path as skilled operational workers.

“We believe that investing in the skills and potential of our local talents is not just about filling job roles, but it is also about building a sustainable future for our community and driving economic growth. The Northport Apprenticeship Programme is a testament to our commitment to nurturing talent, empowering individuals and creating opportunities that benefit the industry, the State and the country as a whole,” said Dato’ Azman.