BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

BRUNEIAN participants departed to Hanoi, Vietnam yesterday to compete in the upcoming 10th WorldSkills ASEAN competition.

The competition that is scheduled to take place from October 24 to 26 will see an eight-member team compete in four skill areas which are automobile technology; cooking; refrigeration and air-conditioning; and welding.

Two students will compete in each of the categories.

Competitors are from Pusat Latihan Mekanik, Maktab Teknik Sultan Saiful Rijal (MTSSR), Maktab Kejuruteraan Jefri Bolkiah and Sekolah Vokasional Sultan Bolkiah. They were selected through an internal competition by each of the vocational and technical schools in the country.

The team leader of the delegation, Hjh Rohana Hj Hamdan, who is also an instructor from MTSSR, said that the competitors have been preparing for almost half a year.

“For example, those competing in the cooking skill areas have been extensively training in hotels and school,” explained Hjh Rohana, adding that the competitors underwent training and practice with experts frim Industries and Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) from the Ministry of Education.

“We are aiming for gold in this competition. I hope everyone in the team manages to get a medal,” she said.

The team was sent off and presented with the national flag by the principal of MTSSR, Hjh Noorzainab Hj Abd Ladi at the Brunei International Airport. The flag was handed over to student team leader and competitor, Muhammad Sallehudin Hj Salleh.

In a statement issued by the Institute of Brunei Technical Education, another team comprising of official delegates, technical delegates and experts departed to Hanoi a few days prior to attend an Organising Committee Meeting and Technical Committee prior to the competition.

The first WorldSkills ASEAN Competition took place in Malaysia in 1995 and it has been a recurring biennial event where this year marks Brunei’s Ninth participation.

It gathers contestants from the region to compete on an international level in 21 skills.

The Brunei Times