Kota Kinabalu: Petronas has expended much funds to boost education standards in Sabah and has provided many opportunities for Sabahans to excel in the oil and gas industry with various kinds of tertiary scholarship awards given and career opportunities to work in the national petroleum company.
A Sabahan, Maria Teo, who is the Petronas Senior General Manager – Human Resource – Upstream & MPM, calls on teachers, career counsellors in Sabah to highlight careers in the oil and gas industry, particularly suitable for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) graduates.
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Maria was speaking at the Oil & Gas Services and Equipment Conference and Exhibition Sabah 2026 themed: “Powering Sabah as the Next Energy Frontier” was held at the Sabah International Convention Centre on June 5, 2026.
A former student of St Francis Convent here, Maria encouraged the students who turned up at the event to seriously consider the job opportunities available in the oil and gas industry offered by the many industry players present there.
“My message is for teachers, counsellors and lecturers to help us.
During my time in St Francis Convent, teachers would only say you can become teacher or police or lawyer or other profession but never in the oil and gas industry in my generation.
“So, I do want to encourage teachers, lecturers, and counsellors to really help us to promote this industry.
As for parents, I myself am a young parent, let go of your children, let go. I will say this honestly because three years ago, Petronas actually sponsored a student from Ranau.
“What saddens me is that I got news that the parents wouldn’t allow their daughter to be out of Sabah.
Now this is something that we have to recognise there are certain pockets in the state that parents do have some fear of letting go of their children. Education is really, really crucial.
“Last but not least, students, boleh-bah kalau kau! (loud applause from the audience). If there is a will, there will always be a way.
For you all, you are the generation that is going to make sure that this industry flourish for Sabah. Not just for Sabah, for Malaysia. And for the world for that matter.
“To you all, make sure that you excel in whatever that you do.
We are not only looking for graduates from universities but also those with TVET, vocational skills – welders etc.,” she said.
Moderator John Lo who promotes the “Sabah First” credo stressed on the importance of developing Sabah’s human resource capital.
“All the progress, all the investments that are coming into Sabah now worth more than RM60 billion, we must focus on human capital development, especially in the oil and gas industry, because in the coming years, if the oil and gas industry is going to be the biggest industry in Sabah,” Lo enthused.
