Answer for Written Question PT010

QUESTION

Yang Berhormat Dayang Hajah Rosmawatty binti Haji Abdul Mumin

YANG BERHORMAT DAYANG HAJAH ROSMAWATTY BINTI HAJI ABDUL MUMIN requested MENTERI DI JABATAN PERDANA MENTERI to state the extent of the country's preparedness to meet the demand for green workers among local citizens domestically, regionally and internationally, including collaboration between the Department of Energy and the Ministry of Education, as well as the types of training and capacity-building programmes that have been implemented.

ANSWER

Yang Berhormat Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri

Through the implementation of the SCALE framework (Skills and Capacity for Alternative Low-Carbon Energy), the Department of Energy at the Prime Minister's Office integrates existing efforts with stakeholders to strengthen the country's preparedness to meet the demand for green workers, particularly in the low-carbon energy sector. This initiative was developed based on the existing foundations of education, training and industrial capabilities, with an emphasis on developing the skills and competencies of the workforce, including local citizens, so that they are prepared to meet domestic green energy requirements and possess a foundation of employability for opportunities at the regional and international levels. The approach under the SCALE framework also focuses on preparing a workforce that is ready to take advantage of employment opportunities in the growing energy sector, both domestically and at the regional and international levels, through the development of skills relevant to industry requirements.

In terms of inter-agency coordination, the implementation of the SCALE initiative is carried out through ongoing cooperation between the Department of Energy at the Prime Minister's Office and the Ministry of Education. This initiative also complements efforts to develop the energy industry workforce driven through the Manpower Industry Steering Committee (MISC), which operates under the Manpower Planning and Employment Council (MPEC) at the national level. This coordination ensures that green skills elements can be systematically integrated into the country's education and training system, in line with the Green Education Plan and the requirements of the energy industry, while supporting the provision of systematic education, training and certification pathways to meet the growing demand for workers.

In terms of training and capacity building, SCALE has identified several priority areas to be strengthened progressively, by leveraging existing programmes and platforms. These include efforts to expand and improve energy efficiency and solar PV competencies in existing TVET programmes, as well as examining the development of solar installation and maintenance certification that could potentially be supported and recognised by the Government.

As evidence of the initial implementation under this framework, site-based industrial training and placement (internship) opportunities are also being provided through renewable energy projects currently under development. This includes the placement of four trainees from IBTE and Politeknik Brunei for a period of five months at the 30 MW solar energy project site in Kampong Belimbing, which is expected to commence operations this year, to provide local workers with practical exposure in the installation, operation and maintenance of utility-scale solar energy systems. The trainee placement initiative will subsequently be extended to other solar projects, encompassing both large-scale and small-scale projects.

At the higher education level, fields such as renewable energy, green hydrogen, e-fuels and Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) have been identified as strategic areas that also need to be strengthened to ensure the phased development of curricula, training and research, in line with the potential development of industries in the future. These efforts are being refined to ensure that the provision of human capital is aligned with the direction of the country's energy policies and investments.

In addition, capabilities in various new energy fields, such as cross-border electricity grid interconnection projects and the potential for nuclear energy, are also being considered in a structured manner at the policy and long-term planning levels. This includes preliminary assessments of the requirements for institutional and legislative frameworks, the development of technical, regulatory and commercial competencies, as well as phased implementation approaches in line with international best practices. For cross-border electricity grid interconnection initiatives, coordination is also being carried out within the framework of the ASEAN Power Grid (APG) at the regional level. Meanwhile, for the potential development of nuclear energy as a future clean energy source, the country's preparedness is being assessed based on the Milestones approach developed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

These preliminary planning efforts are intended to ensure that, should new projects be considered as part of the country's energy mix in the future, the foundations for institutional capabilities and human capital will have been carefully structured and planned.

Overall, through the implementation of the SCALE initiative, which integrates existing efforts and close coordination between the Department of Energy at the Prime Minister's Office, the Ministry of Education, MISC and other stakeholders, the country is establishing a structured, competitive and sustainable foundation for a local green workforce to support the expansion of renewable energy development and the growth of the green economy of Negara Brunei Darussalam over the long term. This approach also places the Negara in a better position to compete for and attract opportunities for cooperation and green energy investment at the regional and international levels.