Training future leaders, champions and CEOs

As one of Malaysia’s largest infrastructure companies, Gamuda Bhd has built a large part of its corporate responsibility initiatives around human capital development.

Much of its effort revolves around the group. However, over the years, the conglomerate — its businesses span engineering, property development and infrastructure concessions — has increasingly been contributing to the development of the industries it is involved in by training local talent and providing them with leading-edge skills, as well as raising the standards of industry practices across the value chain.

For example, it formed a new unit, the Construction Training Unit (CTU), in May last year to help train Malaysians and support its project needs. The CTU enables holistic planning and the implementation of all construction skills training channels across the group.

Being involved in the construction of the Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit (KVMRT), Gamuda recognises that tunnelling works require specialist skills and knowledge. This is something the group offers school-leavers and diploma holders at its Tunnelling Training Academy, the first of its kind in the world. More than 500 tunnel/technical crew have been trained here since it was set up in 2011, and it intends to double the number by 2017.

For other training aspects, particularly in safety, health and environment of the KVMRT project, it has set up the KVMRT Training Centre.

But one of the more interesting things the group has done as an extension of its diversity agenda is its Project Differently-Abled (DA), which kicked off in July 2013. It was set up with the intention of providing gainful and sustainable employment to individuals with autism, and improving the quality of their lives.

“Gamudians”, as employees of Gamuda are known, serve as buddies, supervisors and guardians to ensure that their DA colleagues adjust well to the work environment. There are currently 16 DA employees stationed in the group’s various departments, and it aims to increase that number to 30 by next year. DA employees are coached by a professionally-trained and qualified support team that works closely with local and overseas non-governmental organisations to keep abreast of the latest developments in such training.

Gamuda has also taken the initiative to provide employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for the deaf, going so far as to set up DiB (Deaf-in-Business) Coffees of Hawaii in Menara Gamuda in 2012. DiB is the first gourmet coffee chain in Malaysia operated fully by deaf personnel, who are guided and trained by hearing coaches.

It is a unique business project created to attract talent from traditionally under-tapped demographics and provide socioeconomic support to fringe communities. As a non-profit establishment, profits from DiB — well-frequented by Gamudians — are used to open new outlets to provide more employment to deaf Malaysians.

Apart from that, Gamuda also tries to help improve social-economic conditions wherever its projects extend, gathering a group of volunteers annually to build new homes — in partnership with the Epic Homes organisation — for identified indigenous families.