press release Chevron Enjoy Science, Together with Suranaree University, Launches 'TVET Hub Suranaree'

Chevron Enjoy Science Project has collaborated with Suranaree University of Technology to establish the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Hub in Suranaree. The objective is to improve labor skills and become the first professional technician training facility in the northeast, following Thailand 4.0 policy.

“Nakhon Ratchasima Province is part of a key strategic area in driving the national economy and industry under the Thailand 4.0 policy,” said Vichien Chantaranothai, the Governor of Nakhon Ratchasima. “It has all-around potential, particularly as a city that is a trade and investment hub in the northeast. It is also the second most populated province in the country, which helps develop skills and the ability to support the needs of the industrial sector. Establishing the TVET Hub Suranaree in Nakhon Ratchasima is therefore a way to sustainably elevate the expertise of the people in the area, which is consistent with the provincial development project focusing on making cities worth living for everyone with improved infrastructure, economies, and quality of life.”

“The objective of Chevron Enjoy Science Project is to increase the competitive capability of the country by promoting education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, or STEM subjects, as well as develop vocational education and professionals to have the skills that meet the needs of the industrial sector. Therefore, it focused on building workers with the skill and ability to do real, quality work in order to enter the industrial labor market,” said Hatairat Articharte, Policy, Government, and Public Affairs manager of Chevron Thailand Exploration and Production, Ltd. “Nakhon Ratchasima is a base for the production and export of electronics for global manufacturers. At the same time, it’s a hub of vocational education in the lower northeast, which continually produces technicians for various areas. It is therefore hoped that this hub plays a role in helping the smart electronics industry reach the government’s goals, as well as to solve the problem of technical labor deficits in both the number and expertise of professionals that Thailand is currently facing,” said Hatairat.

“This hub will manage work under a board recruited from both the government and industrial sectors,” said Assoc. Prof. Flt. Lt. Dr. Kontorn Chamniprasart, Dean of the Institute of Engineering at the Suranaree University of Technology. “Its key objective is to develop vocational education teachers and professionals to have state-of-the-art skills and knowledge that can be transferred to vocational students. With the Suranaree University of Technology acting as a hub for connecting the industrial sector and various technical colleges in the northeast, they will collaborate to develop courses and equip vocational teachers with the skills to improve education formats in order to produce technicians who meet the needs of the micro-electronics industrial sector at all levels, from SME to multi-national corporations.”

“This hub is comprised of three labs: a basic skills training lab to increase STEM learning for vocational education; a manufacturing skills training lab emphasizing the application of modern manufacturing processes, such as laser cutting and the use of 3D printers and computer numerical control (CNC) machines; and a robotic skills training lab, high-level technology that combines learning with automation to produce real products. This gives us confidence that this hub will develop and supply the multi-faceted skills necessary for both teachers and technicians,” said Dr. Kontorn.