Petroleum Nasional Berhad (Petronas) has allocated about RM220 million towards human capital development and skills training in Sabah for the period 2014 to 2019.

Its Group Human Resource Management senior vice-president, Datuk Raiha Abd Rahman said the human capital development programmes included education sponsorship and technical training.

"To date, nearly 5,000 students have benefited from our programmes like PESP and PSIP, Vocational Institution Sponsorship and Training Assistance (VISTA) and Graduate Employability Enhancement Scheme (GEES).

"Our aim is to ensure that knowledge and skills expand through various stages of learning," she said at Petronas Institute of Petroleum Technology (INSTEP) and Kimanis Petroleum Training Centre (KTC) convocation ceremonies here today.

At the event, 38 INSTEP students, 28 of whom are Sabahans and 20 KTC students received their graduation certificates.

The ceremony was officiated by Sabah Special Functions Minister Datuk Teo Chee Kang, representing Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman. -- Bernama