Gamuda Foundation’s Enabling Academy prepares autistic trainees for employment

Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Hannah Yeoh lauded Gamuda Foundation’s move to establish Enabling Academy training centre to cater people with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Yeoh said the government supported efforts by companies in assisting people with special needs.

“Instead of establishing more training institutions, the government would fully support the corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives by the private sector,” she said at the academy launch at Menara Gamuda today.

She said a total of 474, 579 disabled people were registered with the ministry until June.

“Of the total, 862 people have found jobs between Sept 2012 and July this year.

“A total of 489 companies hired the disabled people,” she said.

During the event, graduation ceremony for 11 trainees from the September intake, last year, was also held.

Gamuda Bhd Group director Datuk Lin Yun Ling said the academy was established to train those with ASD and provide job opportunities including the academy’s 14 corporate partners.

Among them are CIMB Bank, DRB Hicom, Lafarge Malaysia and Gamuda GM Klang.

Lin said a total of 30 autistic people received training at the academy since it started operation in May 2017.

“Gamuda itself has hired 20 people with disabilities in administration, engineering and Information Technology (IT).

“We also hope that more government departments would spearhead efforts by setting up more employment transition centres through renewal in policies and strategies.

“This will enable more people with special needs to have better quality of life with permanent jobs,” he said.

The academy offers three-month programmes including working environment simulation training to develop good work ethics, apart from improving technical and communications skills of the trainees.