Thiess invests US$2m per year for apprentice program

PT Thiess Contractors Indonesia, a largest mining contractor operating in Indonesia, said it invests around US$2 million every year to develop human resources at its training center, indicating the company?s commitment to empower local human resources capability.

The funds are allocated to cover training and educational activities and students pocket money, said Thiess Indonesia Executive Director, Samuel Rumende, when witnessing the graduation of 99 Apprentice Program participants on Wednesday in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan.

They were the 17th batch, who have graduated from the program.

The program, started in 1992, provides opportunity for selected students who have graduated from high school to further their education in a 5-year study program.

About 25 percent of the education program is theory and 75 percent is field activities. Therefore, when they graduated from the program they are immediately ready for work.

The graduation was also attended by deputy governor of East Kalimantan, Farid Wadjdy, Municipality Head of Balikpapan, Rizal Effendi and Secretary General of the Manpower and Transmigration Ministry, Mochtar Lutfie. (giok)