Petronas, Malaysia's state-owned oil firm, has said that it has commenced a training and development programme to provide nearly 500 locals in the Sabah region with the necessary skills to work on a proposed oil and gas terminal in the area.

Speaking to Malaysia Today, the company's president and chief executive officer Tan Sri Mohd Hassan Marican explained that the new facility will provide additional jobs for the local workforce, in addition to bringing great opportunities for workers in other sectors which can support the oil and gas industry.

Commenting on access routes to the sector, he said: "It is a highly skilled, highly technical job with few vacancies. But the spillover effect for small and medium-size industries to provide services is huge."

Petronas offers an industrial training programme in line with its company policy of promoting good corporate citizenship. Its education and training division aims to provide local Malay workers with the practical skills necessary to serve the oil and gas industry.

Oil and Gas Directory: Training and Development