KUCHING: Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC) strives to continue running specific programmes meant to support its vision of transforming the timber industry in Sarawak to become a high value-added sector by 2030.

Recently, it conducted a virtual talk on promoting and strengthening the interest of Sarawak Young Designers (SayD’SignersSarawak) in furniture-design.

“This is one of the many series of similar talk programmes that STIDC would continue to organise and hold in the future, as it aspires to achieve a target of 100 trained furniture designers by 2030,” said acting STIDC general manager Dayang Nena Abang Bruce, who facilitated the online session, themed ‘SayD’Signers – A Jump Start’.

The half-day talk on Dec 10 gathered 26 SayD’SignersSarawak trainees from Batch 1 (2018 intake), Batch 2 (2019 intake), Batch 3 (2020 intake) and Batch 4 (new 2021 intake), as well as 21 students of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas).

Adding on, Dayang Nena said STIDC had developed and implemented the SayD’SignersSarawak training programmes for fresh graduates, in collaboration with Unimas and Bandung Technology Institute, since 2018 – with participation from the local timber industry players.

Meanwhile, the online talk also featured three invited designers – Prof Imam Santosa who is the former dean of Bandung Technology Institute’s Design and Fine Arts Faculty; Element Republic Sdn Bhd managing director Walter Tan; and Indonesian Society of Interior Designers chairwoman Rina Marina Suminar.

The SayD’SignersSarawak is a two-year training module, serving as a platform to jump-start and facilitate Sarawak young designers in their pursuit of careers in furniture-design, and also to enhance their skills and knowledge towards becoming professional furniture designers.