KUCHING: Sarawak is placing aviation services and education infrastructure high on its development agenda as it builds the ecosystem needed to support state-owned carrier AirBorneo and the wider aerospace industry.
Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development (MEITD) Datuk Sri Roland SagahWee Inn said the push is being driven through two main channels — technical and support capabilities at the Centre of Technical Excellence Sarawak (CENTEXS), and the expansion of aerospace-focused academic programmes at i-CATS University College.
The strategy is not only about producing graduates, but about creating a full talent pipeline that can serve aviation operations, aircraft maintenance, aerospace engineering and future high-technology industries in the state.
Sagah noted that the main talents needed to steer the industry is in Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO), both technical and blue colour (blue-collar and paraprofessional).
He said these kind of talents are being trained at CENTEXS Lundu and Subang.
“Sarawak also need talents in digital and frontier technology (high-value enablers).
“They do not replace traditional roles but elevate them to meet Sarawak Digital Economy Blueprint 2030 standards.
“We need talents who specialise in artificial intelligent (AI) & robotics and data analysis as well as talents in space economy and engineering to produce aerospace engineers,” he told Sarawak Tribune.
To produce these talents, Sarawak is adopting a ‘Dual-Track Institutional Framework’, to secure a sustainable talent pipeline.
Track 1 will comprise vocational and technical specialists (technicians). Technical hands are being produced at CENTEXS, which currently trained 250 students and 36 will graduate next months.
Track 2 will consist of professional and research specialists (engineers).
Sagah said for high-level engineering and satellite technology, i-CATS University College (Sarawak state-owned university) had been tasked to produce academic degrees in Aerospace Engineering and Satellite Technology.
“Sarawak is also riding on strategic integration and federal support agencies namely NAICO Malaysia under MyAERO talent initiative,” he added.
According to Sagah, the Sarawak state-government owned institutions — CENTEXS, Sarawak Skills and i-CATS University College — provide a comprehensive curriculum in this sector.
He noted that to-date, there are six courses at Aerospace Academy Lundu and a faculty in i-CATS University College.
“We urge Sarawakians to utilise these establishments. Don’t forget Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in 64 courses is free under Free Tertiary Education Sarawak (FTES) programme at four Sarawak’s owned universities,” he said.
Sagah believes that the aerospace industry has huge potential, saying the establishment of AirBorneo, Sarawak’s state-owned airline and university, reflects broader ambitions to enhance regional air connectivity and support the growth of aviation and aerospace services.
Sarawak’s approach may signal that AirBorneo is being treated as more than an airline.
For MEITD, it appears to be a catalyst for a wider economic and skills transformation — one where aviation services, technical training and university education are developed in tandem to create a homegrown aerospace workforce for the future.
