GLOBAL lighting solutions company Lumileds Malaysia Sdn Bhd is not only giving its customers a competitive edge; the company also illuminates hope for the disabled community by providing job opportunities for those who are deaf.
Lumileds vice-president (operations) and managing director Datuk Dr Mohd Sofi Osman said the company reached out to the deaf community and welcomed them to work in the factory.
“We put up proper signages, provide sound aided devices and changed part of the factory floor to help them, especially in cases of emergency.
“We also send our employees to the Penang Deaf Association (PDA) for training. It will help them gain additional knowledge and to ease communications among their colleagues,” Dr Mohd Sofi said in an interview after the launching of the ‘Lumileds Hear Me Talent Programme (CSR) 2019’ at the factory in Bayan Lepas today.
Penang Welfare, Environment and Caring Society Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh lauded the company’s effort in providing a platform for the deaf community to experience working in a factory.
“We understand that the Hear Me Talent Programme is part of the company’s initiative to create an inclusive and diversified environment, thus, setting a benchmark for others.
“The programme, which started in September this year, has been successful. A total of 20 deaf employees have been hired,” he said.
Phee also acknowledged the collaboration between Lumileds, JobStreet, JobsMalaysia, Social Welfare Department, PDA and Flextronics, which made the programme fruitful.
Also present were Lumileds human resources director Wan Ilham Wan Sulaiman and its operation directors Loganathan Muniandy and Adrian Yong. Joining them were JobsMalaysia (Penang) director Mohd Sazali Keteh and PDA president Razman Tan Abdullah.
Story and pix by Danny Ooi