KOTA KINABALU: Up to 250 job opportunities are being offered to Sabah youths through the Sabah Industrial Career Programme 2026 (KIS 2026), involving eight industrial companies.
Deputy Chief Minister III Datuk Ewon Benedick urged youths, particularly graduates and jobseekers, to take advantage of the opportunities and attend interviews held at the programme venue.
“The interviews are being held at the programme venue. I hope young people, especially graduates and those looking for jobs, will come to Imago Kota Kinabalu to take up these opportunities and meet representatives of companies already operating in Sabah,” he said.
Ewon, who is also Industrial Development, Entrepreneurship and Transport Minister, said the programme organised by the Industrial Development and Research Department (DIDR) involved 24 government agencies, industrial companies and educational institutions, particularly Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.
He said closer cooperation between industry and educational institutions was needed to ensure TVET training modules met the workforce requirements of industrial companies in Sabah.
“Feedback from employers on the skills required is also important to help educational institutions and training providers prepare local youths to fill jobs created by the State’s industrial development.
“When we talk about industrial development and the inflow of investment, we must also ensure Sabahans have the skills and opportunities to fill the jobs created,” he said.
He said this after officiating KIS 2026 here on Friday.
Ewon said in line with the Sabah First approach and the 80:20 policy for workforce recruitment by investor companies, the Government wanted at least 80 per cent of the jobs to be filled by local workers.
He said the success of KIS 2026 should be measured by its outcomes after the programme, including follow-up interviews, job placements and training opportunities that could be taken up by Sabahans.
He said his ministry would provide the necessary support to DIDR to continue the programme in the future.
The eight participating companies offering job opportunities are AR Food Industrial Sdn Bhd, SK Nexilis Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Esteel Enterprise Sabah Sdn Bhd, EG Development (Sabah) Sdn Bhd, Sushi Panda Management Sdn Bhd, ROII Innovation Industries (M) Sdn Bhd, NCT Forwarding & Shipping (M) Sdn Bhd and SBH Kibing Solar New Materials (M) Sdn Bhd.
Also present was DIDR director Siti Nur’Ain Abdullah.
