OVEC Holds National Competition forSkilled Welders

(22-05-2013)

The Office of the Vocational Education Commission (OVEC), with the cooperation of the Department of Labor Skill Development, the Association of Teachers and Welders, U.B.M. Asia (Thailand) Co. Ltd., R.P.S. Supply Co. Ltd. and S.E.A. Engineering Co. Ltd., recently organized a national competition for skilled welders to select and screen those with professional skills of an international standard.

The Deputy Minister of Education, Mr. Sermsak Pongpanit, said that Thailand was stepping forward to become a complete industrial country with continuous investment expansion locally and internationally. So, every business sector has to focus on human resources development. The Thai Ministries of Labor and Education are responsible for creating good skilled labor to respond to the need s of the industrial sectors and of ASEAN free trade in 2015. Both public and private networks need to support the management of vocational education to create good, professional students who can be competitive with those from the other ASEAN countries.

The Deputy Secretary General of OVEC, Dr. Akanith Khlangsaeng, added that OVEC had a policy of strengthening the vocational network by establishing associations of teachers and students from various professions. This network will coordinate with many companies and organize competitions that will boost the skills of vocational students. Held in conjunction with Intermach 2013, the national competition of skilled welders introduces welding simulator technology for the first time in Asia. Its aim is to select skilled welders of international standard, to promote human resources development and to solve the problem of insufficient skilled welders in Thailand. Competitors include the general public and vocational students of lower and higher levels. Taking place from 16 to 19 May 2013 at BiTech Bang Na in Bangkok, prizes worth 10,000 Baht, 5,000 Baht and 2,000 Baht were awarded to the winners as well as an Inverter 200 A.