Today's Pick (04/10/12/175/870) Perodua focuses on human capital as it strives to remain No 1 carmaker

Perodua focuses on human capital as it strives to remain No 1 carmaker


PETALING JAYA: When one considers Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd's (Perodua) “Building Cars, People First” tagline, you'd think that the automotive company has decided to take that mission statement quite literally.

Because as it strives to maintain its position as the top-selling car company in Malaysia, Perodua really does seem to have made “the people” its main focus especially those on its payroll.

Managing director Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh admits that when it comes to attracting “fresh, young talents,” Perodua is at a geographical disadvantage.

The company's headquarters and production facility are located in Sg Choh, Rawang, which is anywhere between 45 minutes and an hour-plus away from Kuala Lumpur.

This, according to Aminar, is a “put-off” for many potential employees.

“By the time they come here (to Rawang) for the interview, we would've already lost half the battle!” he said while addressing the media at a briefing last week.

Aminar also joked that when he was once asked by a foreign automotive official where Rawang was, his reply was “between Thailand and Singapore.”

But jokes aside, Aminar said Perodua was quite serious about attracting new talents, as well as retaining the ones the company had already employed. One of its many initiatives to build human capital is the Perodua Youth Training Programme (PYTP), where the company recruits secondary school-leavers and provides vocational training.

“We usually attract between 40 and 50 students a year. The training lasts between six and nine months,” Aminar said.

“The successful candidates are also certified.”

Aminar said Perodua wanted to expand the PYTP and attract a bigger pool of fresh, young talents.

“We welcome tie-ups with other players to help introduce more skilled talents into the Malaysian workforce.”

He added that the PYTP was one good way to develop and nurture local talents and at the same time, reduce the dependency on foreign labour.

“We can expand this (the PYTP) and address the issue of foreign workers. A lot of small and medium-sized businesses rely on this group of people. But just imagine the amount of money that is going out of the country (once they leave).

“The skills that that they acquire is also taken back with them to their home country when they leave and a lot of money is spent to retrain and reskill new talents. Human capital development is critical at all levels,” said Aminar. According to Aminar, Perodua currently has some 7,000 people working at its headquarters and plant in Rawang. It employs over 11,000 people nationwide.

Recently, Perodua announced plans to develop the land surrounding its base of operations in Rawang to cater to the staff that are working there.

Aminar said Perodua was eager to tie up with developers that can help the automotive company develop affordable homes for at least half of the people working at its facilities in Rawang.

“Apart from benefiting our people there (in Rawang), we also want to able attract the younger generation of talents, especially within the executive level. We're willing to work with developers to achieve this,” he said. Aminar said Perodua hoped to be able to cater to at least half of the 7,000-odd workers who live outside Rawang, adding that the homes would be “affordable” and be “as close to our plant as possible.”

He said Perodua also aimed to build a mosque of its Muslim workers in Rawang.

“Our aim is not to build a Perodua City or something like that. Our focus is, as always, to continue building and selling cars and it will be the developers that will develop the land,” said Aminar.

“Having everything in one location makes it better for us to manage, be it for our own people's or vendors' needs.”

Source : The Star Date : 1 October 2012

Today's Pick (04/10/12/175/870)