Local automotive giant Naza Group and HELP International Corporation Bhd, one of the leading private higher institutions in the country recently announced a joint-venture to set up an automotive college which will help to cater highly-skilled workers for the country and in the Asean regions. The collaboration will involve an RM25 million investment in the next 5 years with branch campuses planned for Klang Valley, Seri Alam in Johor’s Iskandar Malaysia and Gurun in Kedah where Naza’s manufacturing plant is.
The Joint Group Executive Chairman of Naza SM Nasarudin SM Nasimuddinalso said that the MoU was signed between the 2 companies on a 50:50 shareholding agreement which will cover the setting up of the campuses and its courses. The Klang Valley and Gurun campuses have since started construction while the Seri Alam campus will follow suit later which will start operation at the end of next year. SM Nasarudin said that as Malaysia is the largest passenger vehicle market, the demand for skilled workers in the industry has been rising.
There is still no decision on what the name of the college would be at the moment and students from HELP University would be given the opportunity to create a name and its logo. Apart from catering to the local market, they are also looking to work with other established companies and institutions in countries who are the big players in the industry like Japan, Germany, the UK and France. The collaboration also include programs for students from HELP to seek internship and employment with Naza Group. Datuk Dr Paul chan, the co-founder and president of HELP, they are expecting some 300 students as the pioneers to their courses which will most likely to start at the end of this year.
