TIME Engineering Participates In Gerak Usahawan Programme In Egypt

TIME Engineering Participates In Gerak Usahawan Programme In EgyptBy Lat Zaharah Abd MutalibCAIRO, Dec 1 (Bernama) -- Time Engineering Bhd (TIME), a leading player in the information, communications and technology (ICT) sector, is participating in the Gerak Usahawan programme organised by the Ministry of Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development here.The programme, in collaboration with the Ministry of Higher Education, is meant to increase awareness and instil an interest in entrepreneurship among Malaysian students abroad.It is also meant to create a platform for them to embark on entrepreneurship upon graduation.The Deputy Minister of Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Datuk Saiffuddin Abdullah launched the programme here today, with Egypt chosen as the first country for it.TIME, a government linked company(GLC) is participating as well as sponsoring, the Gerak Usahawan programme."We would like to thank the Ministry for giving us an opportunity to support the Gerak Usahawan programme."Our participation in it is also very much in line with our Corporate Social Responsibility(CSR) initiative, with education and human capital development as its core theme," said TIME managing director Amiruddin Abdul Aziz in a statement here Monday.He said developing a sizeable pool of local entrepreneurs was important as the country would benefit from this.Entrepreneurs, known for their resourcefulness and creativity, can help develop new markets as well as introduce new ways of doing business, which in turn generates more opportunities and spurs productivity for the country, he said."As most tend to be innovators and reasonable risk-takers,entrepreneurs seem to be more responsive to taking advantage of business opportunities while introducing new and exciting products and services that contribute significantly to the development of the country's economy," he added.In addition, entrepreneurship also helps create employment opportunities, not only for entrepreneurs, but others as well, Amiruddin added.He said under the Bumiputera Vendor Development Programme, TIME supplied multimedia teaching equipment in the Teaching and Learning of Science and Mathematics in English (PPSMI) project, by the Ministry of Education."TIME has designed its Bumiputera Vendor Development Programme to help develop Bumiputera companies and entrepreneurs by engaging and partnering with them in various business opportunities," said Amiruddin.He said TIME had developed 33 companies as training contractors and 127 system installers, including 39 companies as authorised service providers, while training more than 250 qualified technicians to support and maintain equipment for the project."TIME's pool of system installers are provided with relevant assistance including ICT skills training conducted and certified by multinational companies such as HP, Dell, Acer, NEC, Lenova and Samsung, whose products are being supplied and maintained under the PPSMI."TIME through the partnership with these multinational companies, conducts training for local technical professionals from these system installers companies to become certified authorised technicians," he highlighted.According to Amiruddin,in addition to ICT skills training, these companies are also given coaching and mentoring and at times, even financial assistance, to help them effectively manage their businesses and prepare them to stand and compete on their own.TIME has also trained and certified in collaboration with Microsoft, more than 800 trainers, comprising about 95 percent Bumiputeras, to provide ICT training for teachers, he said.-- BERNAMA