Sahaviriya co-designs college course

Thailand's first college course in iron and steel management has begun operating in Prachuap Khiri Khan province as a joint project between the Office of the Vocational Education Commission (VEC) and the country's leading steelmaker, the Sahaviriya Group.

The initial goal is to turn out at least 120 technicians per year, but the Sahaviriya Group's Bt500-billion plan to establish a blast-furnace steel mill in the province will require 1,000 technicians in the near future. Related industries in the area are also expected to have a high demand for technicians, and highly trained industrial workers are now in short supply in Thailand.

A curriculum and training programme for high-level vocational students has been developed by the VEC in collaboration with the Sahaviriya Group. It will allow students to spend part of their training years in Sahaviriya's Bang Saphan plant.

Sahaviriya president Win Viriyaprapaikit said the students would be trained in the manufacturing plant to allow them to gain direct experience.

The programme will focus on producing mechanics, electricians, logistics and warehousing specialists and metallurgists.

The 10-year cooperation programme will cover 13 colleges of technology in Prachuap Khiri Khan province.

However, the group has funded the initial programme at Bang Saphan Technology College at a cost of Bt1 million a year.

The Sahaviriya Group plans to invest about Bt500 billion to build a blast-furnace steel mill in the province, with a projected production capacity of 30 million tonnes. The construction will be divided into three phases, the first of which has received environmental-impact-assessment approval and Board of Investment tax incentives.

Bang Saphan Technology College president Surin Naulrod said students qualifying for the iron and steel programme would spend one year studying at the college and another year training at Sahaviriya's plant.

"It is good for students to have the direct experience of training at the mill. It will also ensure them job security," he said.

The curriculum has been designed to broaden technical skills not only applied in the iron and steel industry, but also required by related industrial sectors. Sahaviriya will send experts to join in classroom teaching, and the college's teachers will benefit from acquiring advanced mechanical and electrical knowledge.

At present, Thailand faces a serious shortage of technicians trained in metallurgy and other industrial disciplines.

As well as cooperating with Sahaviriya, Bang Saphan Technology College is negotiating with other companies that are prepared jointly to design curricula to help solve the problem, Surin said.

Manop Toyai, a metallurgy student at the college, said he foresaw his ability to get a job when he finished his studies.

"I want to work with the Sahaviriya Group, because it will give me more experience in the mill and with new technology," he said.

Another student, Sarayuth Mhodtook, said he decided to learn metallurgy after visiting Sahaviriya's plant even though he originally wanted to become an electrician.

"I felt good after seeing the high technology and good management at Sahaviriya. It inspired me to work with the group, to use new technology and develop my skills," he said.