AKADEMI Binaan Malaysia (ABM), the training arm of the Malaysia Construction Industry Board (CIDB),  caters for the development and upgrading of skills for those in the construction sector.

    Its key focus is to equip construction personnel not only with the right skills, but also the right standards, competency, quality and productivity.

   By producing more locally-based skilled and semi-skilled construction personnel, this will reduce the country's dependency on foreign workers.

   Johor CIDB director Zaini Jalil said the main functions of CIDB are to promote and stimulate the development, improvement and expansion of the construction industry.

   He said it is also CIDB's duty as a professional body to advise and make recommendations to the federal and state governments on matters affecting or related to the sector.

  "Our well-qualified trainers will conduct structured and widely recognised construction skills development courses to provide opportunities for construction personnel to upgrade their skills from time to time.

  "Not only that, we will also support the industry in pursuit of competitive advantage by providing them with the right construction manpower capable of handling the increasingly advanced construction technology," he said.

  Among the programmes which are being provided at ABM are youth skill-training programme; construction personnel skill-training programme; accreditation programme; green card programme; and customer-oriented programme.

  In Johor, the courses which are available are joinery and formwork, wiring, backhoe loader operation and crane operation, among others.

  The duration of the courses range from two weeks to six months at its campus in Jalan Tampoi.

  Zaini said ABM's ultimate goal is to produce productive, safety-conscious, quality-oriented and competent construction personnel to meet the ever-changing needs of the sector.

  "At the same time, we are paving the way for the present and future export of locally-groomed skilled manpower," he added.

  Meanwhile, the Johor CIDB will be organising a three-day skills carnival at its premises at Jalan Tampoi from today to Saturday.

  The carnival is in conjunction with the final round of the 21st Malaysia Skills Competition which is being held at the same venue.

  Some 130 participants from all six ABM campuses nationwide, and those from various skills-training institutes, will compete in 12 categories.

  Both events are jointly organised by the Works Ministry, CIDB Malaysia and ABM.

  For enquiries, call 07-238 8152 or find ABM (southern region) on Facebook.