Motorola Penang once again brushed off the pertinent question about its future in Malaysia after launching a new technology lab in Multimedia University (MMU) inside the latter’s campus in Cyberjaya last week.

Called the Wireless Broadband Technology Lab, the infrastructure is set up with the objective to providing a conducive and comfortable wireless network facility to MMU students, capitalizing on the latest WiMax operability.

Both indoor and outdoor premises will benefit from the wireless technology.

Motorola is also hoping to be able to transfer the knowledge and technology developed by their engineering team to the students and faculty members of MMU. The lab will be equipped with state-of-the-art wireless broadband equipment including access points and customer premises equipment (CPE) that will expose the users with an advanced wireless technology and enable them to discover new applications as well as developing new software.

According to the Managing Director of Motorola Penang, Yew Tian Tek, MMU was chosen since the two have been working in collaboration for more than 10 years, as well as the institution’s competency in providing innovative technology and groundbreaking research.

Motorola Penang will be holding a walk-in interview this Saturday, 9 August 2008, held in Sunway Hotel, Seberang Jaya, Penang.

Click here for the venue’s location map.

Interested applicants, especially those in the engineering and manufacturing field, are welcome to attend. Latest resume, original documents and photocopy of certificates and transcripts are required to bring along.

Failure to comply may result the candidate being turned down for the next screening process.

The interview starts at 9am and finish 4.30pm.

Engineering positions available include Electrical, Mechanical, NPI (New Product Introduction), Quality, Test, PCB (Printed Circuit Board), SMT (Surface Mount Technology), EOL (End of Line) and Compliance. Managerial position covers Engineering Section Managers, Principal Staff, Program Manager and Hardware Quality Assurance Manager.

Motorola Malaysia is presently undergoing expansion after committing to more than RM300 million of investment for their Penang facilities. The Penang factory currently employs approximately 4,000 employees, with a few thousand more working with the contracted vendors.

Despite the recent unrest and gossips surrounding it’s future, Motorola Penang is set to expand its workforce size, stamp its presence as one of top manufacturing companies in Penang soil, and is now preparing for the next round of major hiring. A walk-in interview will be held at its usual venue, Equatorial Hotel in Bukit Jambul Penang, this coming 10 May 2008.

Positions available are mostly technical and engineering that include Electrical Engineers, Mechanical, RF (Radio Frequency), Software, NPI/Quality, Manufacturing, Test, Product and Process Engineers.

Generally, Motorola global engineers are responsible to develop products and solutions for mission critical, networks and broadband users worldwide. Additionally, they are tasked with the design and development of system infrastructures such as iDEN, TETRA, APCO that enable the operation of 2-way radios.

As an incentive, those who come early will experience Motorola’s advanced technology in an Interactive Demo. And it gets better for the first 20 participants as they will walk away with some exciting goodies and freebies.

Details:
Event: Motorola Walk-In Interview
Date: 10 May 2008, 9am – 4.30pm
Venue: Merbah & Murai Room, Equatorial Hotel, Penang
(Click here for directional guide and map to Equatorial)

Please bring along your detail resume, together with the original and photocopy of your certificates and transcripts during the walk-in interview. If you fail to comply, face the risk of being turned down.

Motorola is closing its Singapore operation, barely 3 months after announcing its expansion plan in Penang, Malaysia. The Singapore plant mainly manufacturers the mobile phone devices.

Motorola’s plant in Singapore accommodates about 700 workers, and most of them will be laid off before the year ends. A statement by the company said that the company is moving its operation to “other Motorola facilities worldwide.” The move is also said to be part of Motorola’s plan to cut $500 million dollars off their worldwide expenditure.

According to the number of sources, more job cuts are expected to come which will see more than 10,000 employees worldwide losing their jobs since the beginning of the year. While the manufacturing of the mobile services will go, it is said that the company will maintain their Singapore HQ, including the research and development center.

Ironically, in a stunning move, Motorola announced back in February 2008 its plan to expand their Malaysia operation, particularly in Bayan Lepan, Penang – a move that raised eyebrows of a number of groups. In the announcement, RM350 million will be invested and 700 jobs will be created, a sum equals to the number of job loss expected in Singapore.

Trouble brewing?

The latest development is set to send shivers to over 4000 employees in Motorola Malaysia, in addition to tens of thousands indirect employees working with the outsourced vendors, relying on businesses from Motorola. The news and media are depicting Motorola’s predicament as ‘free falling’, and is soon to lose their status as the 3rd biggest mobile phone maker in the world. The company has also confirmed its move to split its troubled mobile division as a separate entity.

Motorola Malaysia was one of the survivors that stood firm on its ground during the Asian economic downturn in the late 90s, and now is set to face another round of test.