FIRST TWO COHORTS OF PCEHMA CELEBRATE GRADUATION AT USM, MARKING A MILESTONE IN ADVANCED MANUFACTURING TRAINING

NIBONG TEBAL, 24 May 2024 - The graduation of the inaugural two cohorts of the Professional Certificate in Equipment Handling for Manufacturing and Automation (PCEHMA) represented the highpoint of intensive training programmes designed to equip participants with advanced skills in manufacturing and automation.

The event was honoured by Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Industry and Community Network of USM, Professor Dr. Azlan Amran, the Campus Director of Engineering Campus of USM, Professor Datin Dr. Azlina Harun@Kamarudin, and the Vice President of Western Digital and General Manager of WD Media (Malaysia), Mr. Dwight Iha.

The ceremony served as a witness to the dedication and hard work of the participants, demonstrating their commitment and perseverance throughout the rigorous training programmes.

Batch 1, consisting of two groups of 17 participants each, commenced their educational program on 5 October 2022, engaging in approximately three months of training across 12 comprehensive modules covering essential topics in electronics and manufacturing automation.

The intensive training program concluded on 22 December 2022, with participants demonstrating significant enhancement in their technical expertise, now prepared to apply their skills in real-world industrial settings.

Following the considerable success of Batch 1, Batch 2 commenced on 9 May 2023, comprising 17 participants in Group 1 and 15 participants in Group 2, for a total of 32 students enrolled in the programme.

The expanded curriculum for Batch 2, featuring 12 modules running until 12 October 2023, incorporated a broader range of topics and built upon the foundation established by Batch 1, introducing new elements such as machine vision using Raspberry Pi and the significance of Industry 4.0 in the electronics sector.

The PCEHMA programme has established a high standard for professional certification in equipment handling, equipping a skilled workforce with the knowledge and skills required to navigate the complexities of modern manufacturing environments.

As these graduates embark on their professional careers, they are equipped with the requisite knowledge and skills to drive innovation and efficiency in the industry.

Also present were the Deputy Dean (Research, Innovation, and Industry-Community Engagement) of the School of Aerospace Engineering who is also the Director of Aerospace Business Unit-A.B.U., Associate Professor Dr. Elmi Abu Bakar, the WD Media (Malaysia) Sdn. delegates and trainers for the programme.

Text: Azura Jaapar (School of Aerospace Engineering)/Photo: Aerospace Business Unit-A.B.U.

Editing: Siti Faizah Abd Halim