Bright outlook for oil and gas in Pengerang

JOHOR BARU: The state government does not see a need to reduce the number of workers needed for its oil and gas sector in Pengerang.

Instead, Johor Unity and Human Resources Committee chairman R. Vidyanathan said the sector would need about 50,000 skilled workers over the next five years.

“We have already started the necessary training programmes to prepare the workforce at all our government and privately run institutions,” he said at a career carnival targeting Indian youths in Ulu Tiram here yesterday.

“I do not think the oil price will affect our Pengerang hub as we are more of a storage and processing centre instead of oil exploration,” he added.

Vidyanathan said the price of crude oil would eventually bounce back, adding that people should not to be unduly worried about talk that the oil and gas sector was facing a bleak future due to the current price slump.

The number of job vacancies in the state was increasing yearly, with 129,921 positions offered last year compared to 128,721 positions in 2013 and 105,993 in 2012, he said.

“In the next five years, we will be creating another 100,000 jobs, with half of them coming from the oil and gas sector.

“The tourism sector in Desaru will also need about 20,000 workers,” he added.

Vidyanathan said that besides oil and gas, the sectors in demand in the coming years would be hospitality and tourism, as well as the creative and multimedia fields.

“I hope Indian parents do not have the stereotyped thinking that their children must be doctors or lawyers to be successful,” he said, adding that those with specialised skills were also paid well.

He said that if Johoreans did not seize these opportunities, the jobs would then be offered to those from other states.

“If locals are too choosy, then we will just have to open up these vacancies to foreign workers,” he said.

Vidyanathan added that with the rapid development and investments coming into the state, Johor was expected to overtake Selangor and Penang soon.