Kota Kinabalu: A total of 116 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) 2022 top scorers from Sabah have been awarded the Petronas education sponsorship under the company’s Powering Knowledge programme this year.
They are part of a total of 600 SPM 2022 high achievers nationwide who have been awarded the sponsorship to pursue tertiary education at Universiti Teknologi Petronas and other leading local and overseas universities in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, China and Japan, as well as, starting this year, South Korea.
It was a moment of pride and joy as the students walked to the stage to receive their awards amidst cheers and applause, including from parents and guardians who were in attendance during the presentation ceremony at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre on Oct 14.
Petronas Chairman Tan Sri Mohd Bakke Salleh, together with Senior Vice President, Project Delivery & Technology, Datuk Bacho Pilong, presented the sponsorship to the recipients.
“Petronas believes that investing in education and human capital development at all levels will enable a continuous and sustainable pipeline of talent.
Petronas Powering Knowledge is our commitment to champion the pursuit of knowledge among students and educators.
“We support their quest for quality education and are devoted to empowering them to strive for progress and impact in a rapidly changing world,” said Mohd Bakke.
As Petronas expands its portfolio beyond oil and gas into a broader energy spectrum amidst the accelerating energy transition, the company demands fresh skillsets to cater to its evolving business needs, requiring it to produce highly knowledgeable and skilled industry professionals, he said.
The courses offered include Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Petroleum Engineering, Geophysics, Accounting, Marketing and Law. As the company advances its digital transformation, Petronas will also continue to sponsor students in the fields of Data Science and Data Engineering.
Among those who attended the award presentation ceremony were Director General, Sabah Public Service Department, Datuk Zainuddin Aman and Head of Petronas Sabah and Labuan, Siti Ayu Abdul Wahab.
Over 10,000 candidates applied for the sponsorship, and following a rigorous evaluation, 600 individuals who embody academic brilliance as well as outstanding leadership qualities, agility, problem-solving skills, collaborative spirit and vision of excellence were selected.
