by AUFA MARDHIAH

MALAYSIA’S solar industry is set to require approximately 60,000 skilled workers as the Large Scale Solar Farm 5 (LSS5) project commences next year.

Datuk Ir Guntor Tobeng, MD of Gading Kencana Sdn Bhd, a company engaged in the construction and management of solar farms, said these workers are essential for installation and maintenance tasks.

He noted that the LSS5 tender will close at the end of this month, with the announcement expected in January next year, initiating the development of new solar farms.

“Tender winners will need six months to secure financing from banks.

“Installation work will start around July 2025, and at that point, the solar industry will require approximately 60,000 workers to ensure project completion by December 2025,” he said.

He emphasised that to prevent delays in the LSS5 project and to support the National Energy Transition Plan (NETR), the government must ensure the availability of both skilled and semi-skilled labour.

“Currently, less than 4,000 installers are being produced by Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA)-accredited training centres,” he pointed out.

Guntor observed that despite the surge in solar-related courses, their value is diminished if they lack SEDA accreditation.

He added that some institutions offer these courses merely to capitalise on technical and vocational education and training (TVET) grants provided by the Rural Development Ministry.

“They aim to train school leavers with solar skills, but these youths are often unaware of whether the courses are Seda-recognised. If this continues, there is a risk of TVET grant misuse in the solar industry,” he said.

Guntor added that young people who complete these courses without Seda accreditation do not meet industry standards, albeit the government has made a significant investment.

“Those without Seda accreditation cannot conduct tests or approve installations, and the industry cannot justify paying them high wages,” he said.

To address this, he suggested strengthening existing Seda-accredited training centres to properly train skilled labour for the solar industry and prevent fraud and misuse.

He also recommended empowering Seda to enforce workforce regulations in the industry to ensure that only qualified individuals perform installation work.

“This will help prevent issues such as incorrect installations, short circuits and fires,” he said.