Yayasan Sime Darby Funds 60 Vocationally-Inclined Students

Kuala Lumpur, 17 November 2015 - Yayasan Sime Darby (YSD), through its YSD Skill Enrichment Programme is allocating RM1.98 million worth of scholarships for 60 vocationally-inclined underprivileged students to pursue a two-year certification programme at the Sime Darby Industrial Academy (SDIA), in Puchong, Selangor. 

YSD is collaborating with Hyundai Sime Darby Motors Sdn Bhd (HSDM) and SDIA to provide hands-on industrial training to the 60 students who are undertaking the Certificate in Automotive Vocational Training (Level 1 to 3).

The four-year sponsorship until June 2019 for the students aged between 18 to 25 years old from households with gross income of RM3,000 and below, with  a minimum of five credits in Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) also includes tuition, accommodation and living allowances. 

The YSD Skill Enrichment Programme was put in place with the objective of providing underprivileged students with  equal educational opportunities and creating a pool of home-grown technicians with relevant knowledge and skills. 

This is in line with the government’s aspiration to produce a highly skilled workforce and to enable those who are not academically inclined to pursue certification  in automotive courses as an alternative to higher education, through Technical and Vocational Training (TVET). Upon completion of the YSD Skill Enrichment Programme, these students will be employed as technicians with  Sime Darby Motors.

Present at the official ceremony today to mark the collaboration between YSD, HSDM and SDIA were YSD Governing Council Member Tan Sri Dato’ Dr Wan Mohd Zahid Mohd Noordin, Sime Darby Industrial Director of Sales Azlan bin Ismail, Sime Darby Motors Managing Director – Malaysia, Taiwan & Thailand Dennis Ho, Director of Strategic Planning Simon Rock and Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors Sdn Bhd Managing Director Lau Yit Mun.

YSD Governing Council member Tan Sri Dato' Dr Wan Mohd Zahid Mohd Noordin said YSD has always placed emphasis on its Education pillar, which aims to promote educational equality for all regardless of race, creed, gender and background.

“We believe in supporting capacity-enhancement programmes that enable underprivileged students to have better access to education by providing them positive learning environments. Our main aim through the YSD Skill Enrichment Programme is to provide these students with the right skills for a career and a clear pathway to seek employment. Through the acquisition of the necessary skills, they can take control of their destiny and future instead of having to battle challenges which are beyond their control.

“It is our role to ensure that all students, regardless of their background, have the skills necessary to succeed in life and be able to support their families and contribute back to the society,” he said during the ceremony.

YSD’s long-term partnership with SDIA began in 2010 with its Skill Enrichment Scholarship Programme as an alternative for vocationally inclined students from low-income families to pursue higher education. Aside from sponsoring students to pursue a two-year Certificate in Heavy Equipment course at SDIA in Puchong, the Foundation also offers the same sponsorship at SDIA’s training centre in Miri, Sarawak to provide educational opportunities for students in East Malaysia. To date, 222 underprivileged students have benefitted from YSD’s Skill Enrichment Programme with all of them having successfully secured jobs within the heavy equipment industry, including Sime Darby Industrial Division.

“We are delighted to be part of this programme and we are committed to hone the skills of the young talents we have here. Through this programme, we will also identify capable individuals and offer them job placements with Sime Darby Motors,” said Mr Dennis Ho, Managing Director – Malaysia, Taiwan & Thailand, Sime Darby Motors.

Mr Chong Kwea Seng, Managing Director, Sime Darby Industrial Sdn Bhd added, “It is an honour to be able to play a role in building human capital amongst our youth through this programme. We look forward to seeing them move on to accomplish greater things in life with Sime Darby Industrial having been part of that journey to attain their personal successes.

In August 2015, YSD also provided educational support of RM2 million in scholarships to 23 underprivileged graduate and post-graduate students of Universiti Tun Abdul Razak (UNIRAZAK) to pursue critical skills courses in line with UNIRAZAK’s initiative to address the nation’s talent shortage, especially in the fields of accountancy, taxation and insurance.

As the philanthropic arm of Sime Darby Berhad, YSD has always placed heavy importance on its Education pillar since its inception in 1982 as part of its CSR initiative to build the country’s talent pool. For the past 33 years, the Foundation has spent more than RM226 million for scholarships and bursaries, benefitting 2,713 students from different segments of society, to pursue their academic dreams.  

For more information on Yayasan Sime Darby, please visit www.yayasansimedarby.com.

For further information, please contact: 

Regina William
External Communications
Group Communications
Sime Darby Berhad
Tel:  03-2711 3895 (Off), 019-299 0470 (HP)
Email: regina.william@simedarby.com

About Yayasan Sime Darby

Yayasan Sime Darby, or Sime Darby Foundation, was established in 1982 and is the primary driver of Sime Darby Berhad’s Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives. 

The objectives of Yayasan Sime Darby are supported by its five pillars, namely: education; environment, community & health; youth & sports and arts & culture. While led by independent members of a Governing Council and managed by a dedicated team, Yayasan Sime Darby works closely with the Sime Darby Group, in areas of mutual interest. 

Since its inception, Yayasan Sime Darby has awarded scholarships worth RM226 million to 2,713 students both in and outside Malaysia. It is supporting long term research projects of significant scientific value like the Stability of Altered Forest Ecosystems (SAFE) project which is the world’s largest ecological project, a joint effort with the Royal Society (The UK and Commonwealth Academy of Science). Yayasan Sime Darby is also actively involved in the development and improvements of sports in Malaysia namely track cycling, lawn bowling, cricket, tennis and golf. Under its community & health pillar, Yayasan Sime Darby supports initiatives to promote the well-being of disadvantaged people irrespective of race, culture, religion, creed or gender and works with established organisations to promote the development of arts and culture.