Guan Eng: Penang STEM play a significant role in helping create human talent

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang state government has launched its island version of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) after introducing the previous one in Seberang Perai last week.
Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng, in his speech, said that World Economic Forum chairman Klaus Schwab had issued a warning that industry 4.0 is fundamentally different from previous revolutions.
"As Klaus Schwab said, it is not just a change in digital technology. It is a fusion of technologies and their interaction across the physical, digital and biological domains.
"It will fundamentally change the way we work and the way we live," he said when he is officiating the Penang STEM at Gurney Plaza here today (Aug 19).
Lim added the state government had set the foundation for Penangites to be future-ready in order to benefit from the promises of the 4th industrial revolution and to avoid the perils of being left behind.
He said the state government had been nurturing and establishing several STEM centres, which are Penang Science Cluster (PSC), Tech Dome (TDP), Karpal Singh Learning Centre (KSPLC), aCAT Penang (@CAT) and Penang Digital Library (PDC) in the past six years.
He said the state government had channelled a total of RM60.5 million to set up those centres.
"However, it is not enough of our youth and children to have sufficient awareness and access to quality Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics opportunities and programmes.
"That is why we have formed Penang STEM Sdn Bhd as an umbrella organisation," he said.
Lim said the six centres combined had over 250 STEM-related programmes.
He said he would like to see these available, not only to the urban young, but also to the rural and the ones neglected and left behind.
"STEM education has the power to open their minds to new career opportunities.
"I expect to see Penang STEM play a significant role in helping create human talent to drive and support the digital economy and the 4th Industrial REvolution," he said.