{"id":12010,"date":"2008-03-13T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2008-03-13T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/wordpress\/2008\/03\/13\/priming-future-rd-workforce-for-sarawak\/"},"modified":"2008-03-13T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2008-03-13T00:00:00","slug":"priming-future-rd-workforce-for-sarawak","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.rakansarawak.com\/?p=12010","title":{"rendered":"Priming Future R&D Workforce for Sarawak"},"content":{"rendered":"

article prepared by<\/i><\/font> <\/span>Asha Kaushal<\/a>
<\/i><\/font><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Like many other
\nagencies and departments, the Sarawak Biodiversity Centre (SBC) is a popular
\nchoice for final year university students who have to carry out their
\nrespective practical or industrial training, particularly for those who are
\nundertaking courses related to biotechnology, the pure sciences and
\nbiodiversity.<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

In Year 2007 alone,
\nSBC accepted its highest number of industrial trainees ever, i.e. 36 students
\nfrom various public and private institutions of learning within Malaysia, as
\nwell as overseas universities. <\/span>This
\nfigure is an evident increase as compared to previous years. For example, SBC only
\nmanaged to accommodate 11 industrial trainees in Year 2001. <\/span>The increase in the intake of industrial trainees
\nwas made possible with the building of SBC\u2019s new R&D laboratories and
\nfacilities in Year 2005 and the implementation of its R&D\/Bioprospecting
\nProgramme ensuing from the amendment to the Sarawak Biodiversity Centre
\nOrdinance in Year 2003.<\/o:p><\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

The industrial
\ntraining experience at SBC is one that is unique. <\/span>Industrial trainees must have consistently
\nobtained good grades through their previous semesters at their respective
\nhigher institutes of learning and should preferably have maintained a minimum
\nCumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.0.<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n
Students who are
\naccepted to carry out their industrial training under the R&D programme at
\nSBC will be expected to perform actual laboratory work and must carry out a mini
\nproject during their training at the Centre.<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/font><\/td>\n		<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nIndustrial trainees
\nat SBC carry out actual laboratory work<\/span><\/font><\/i><\/span><\/font><\/span><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n


\n<\/span><\/o:p><\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

The mini project has to be relevant to SBC\u2019s research programme and will
\nbe presented by the respective students to an audience consisting of SBC\u2019s
\nresearch officers at the end of the training period, who will evaluate the mini
\nproject. <\/span>Likewise, with those who train
\nunder SBC\u2019s Traditional Knowledge Documentation Programme and Awareness and
\nAppreciation Programme. <\/span>
<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/font><\/td>\nThe industrial
\ntrainees are expected to embrace the actual work norms at the Centre and they
\nare not exempt from administrative procedures at the Centre. <\/span>On average, industrial trainees spend between
\n2 to 3 months at SBC. <\/span>Their duration
\nhere varies, depending on the universities they attend.<\/span><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n

SBC
\nrequires industrial trainees to conduct their own mini projects during their duration of the  training at the Centre<\/o:p><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

Those who have
\ntrained at SBC have agreed, in general that the training at the Centre has indeed
\nbeen worth their while as they have had the opportunity to be involved in
\nactual research work, experience the process of proposing a project and
\ncarrying it out and learn interpersonal skills in interacting with the staff. <\/span><\/o:p><\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

The training
\nprogramme also allows SBC to scout for potential research officers from among
\nthe outstanding trainees when they graduate.
\n<\/span>SBC has employed several of its previous trainees under the R&D
\nprogramme and the Traditional Knowledge Documentation Programme. <\/o:p><\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

It is hoped that by
\nproviding an actual work environment for the students, SBC\u2019s programmes and its
\nR&D facilities can successfully function
\nas a training ground for the next generation of biotech researchers and
\nscientists.<\/o:p><\/span><\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

In short, and echoing YAB CM\u2019s call to carefully recruit the right people
\nfor the job, SBC believes that highly effective, proactive and suitably trained
\nstudents are the key ingredient in building the State\u2019s capabilities in the
\nfield of biodiversity and its related R&D.<\/o:p><\/span><\/font><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/font><\/td>\n<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n

At the end
\nof their training, the students have to present their mini projects to their
\npeers and the Research Officers at SBC<\/o:p><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

The
\nindustrial trainees conducting a gotong royong to propagate and plant <\/o:p><\/span> plants at SBC under the supervision of SBC Staff<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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