The Future Leaders Hub at SOGCE is a programme designed to address human capital development for Sabah’s growing oil, gas and energy industry. It complements the technical and commercial discussions at the conference by focusing on people, skills, and the next generation of industry professionals.

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About SOGCE Future Leaders Hub

 

The Future Leaders Hub is a dedicated platform within the Sabah Oil, Gas & Energy Conference & Exhibition that focuses on developing the future workforce needed to support Sabah’s expanding energy sector. The hub brings together universities, training institutions, industry leaders, employers, certification bodies, training providers, students and young professionals. Through talks, panel discussions, and interactive sessions, the hub highlights career pathways, skills requirements, and training opportunities in the evolving oil, gas and energy landscape.

 

Core Theme of the Hub

The central theme “Building an Energy-Skilled Sabah: Talent, TVET, Certification & Workforce Transition” reflects the growing need to ensure that Sabah’s local workforce is prepared to participate in and benefit from the expansion of the energy industry, particularly as new offshore projects and energy transition initiatives emerge.

Skills Gap Analysis under SE-RAMP 2040

The hub discusses workforce requirements linked to Sabah Energy Roadmap and Master Plan 2040, which outlines Sabah’s long-term energy development strategy, with discussions focused on:

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• Identifying critical skill shortages

• Preparing Sabahans for future energy projects

• Aligning workforce development with the state’s energy roadmap

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Understanding these gaps helps ensure that training programmes are aligned with real industry demand.

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Preparing Sabahans for Clean Energy & Digital Roles

The global energy sector is evolving rapidly with increasing focus on energy transition, decarbonisation, digital operations, automation and data analytics. To ensure local talent remains competitive and future-ready, the Hub explores how Sabah's workforce can prepare for roles in:

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• Offshore energy operations

• Renewable energy systems

• Digital oilfield technologies

• Smart energy infrastructure

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TVET–Industry Alignment

Technical and vocational education is critical for the oil and gas sector. Hence, the hub emphasises stronger collaboration between training institutions, universities, energy companies and service providers.​ This encourages TVET programmes to reflect the practical needs of industry, producing graduates who are job-ready and technically competent.

 

Professional Certification Pathways

The energy sector requires internationally recognised certifications with discussions that include pathways for obtaining certifications such as:

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• American Petroleum Institute certifications

• International Well Control Forum well control certification

• Electrical and instrumentation competency

• Solar installation certification

• Health, safety and environment (HSE) qualifications

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Attracting Youth into Energy Careers

Another key objective is to encourage young Sabahans to consider careers in the energy industry. Many students are unaware of the diverse opportunities available in engineering, subsea technology, offshore operations, environmental management, digital energy solutions and project management. By engaging students early, the programme helps build interest and awareness of the sector’s career potential.

 

Role of North Borneo University

The collaboration with North Borneo University strengthens the academic and educational dimension of the Future Leaders Hub. Through this partnership, the university helps organise talks on human capital development, discussions on education-industry collaboration as well as sessions highlighting skills development pathways. This ensures that the programme is grounded in education, workforce training, and talent development.

 

Why the Future Leaders Hub Matters for Sabah

Sabah’s oil, gas and energy sector is experiencing renewed momentum due to:

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• Increasing upstream activities

• Offshore developments

• Investment in energy infrastructure

• Emerging renewable energy initiatives

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As the industry expands, companies will require a skilled and competent workforce to support operations. Without sufficient local talent, companies may rely heavily on external expertise. The Future Leaders Hub therefore supports the goal of ensuring that Sabahans can participate meaningfully in the industry’s growth.

 

The Future Leaders Hub strengthens the broader mission of **Sabah Oil, Gas & Energy Conference & Exhibition by supporting local talent development, connecting students with industry leaders, promoting skills training and certification, aligning education with industry needs and ensuring sustainable workforce development for Sabah. SOGCE aims to position itself not only as a business and technology platform, but also as a catalyst for human capital development in the regional energy ecosystem.