The Malaysian government is actively preparing its workforce for digital transformation.

By 2030, Malaysia is projected to need an additional 500,000 skilled workers to meet the demands of its technology and engineering industries.

Malaysian Minister of Science , Technology and Innovation Chang Lih Kang. (Source: BERNAMApix)

Malaysian Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Chang Lih Kang said that according to government analysis, more than 30% of jobs in Malaysia will be affected by artificial intelligence (AI) in the next 10 years, with key sectors such as manufacturing, services and information technology expected to undergo significant transformation.

Speaking to the press, Mr. Chang stated that statistics show more than 600,000 workers need to undergo retraining over 3-5 years to adapt to an increasingly competitive job market.

By 2030, Malaysia is projected to need an additional 500,000 skilled workers to meet the demands of its technology and engineering industries. These figures highlight the urgent need to develop an effective training and certification ecosystem.

Therefore, Malaysia's workforce must be prepared to face these changes as retraining and upskilling processes become crucial, particularly in technology and engineering fields, so that Malaysia can maintain its global competitiveness and meet the growing demands of the industry.

To achieve this, the government is actively ensuring that courses and training programs are offered in line with international standards and the needs of Industry 4.0. This includes courses on cybersecurity, intelligent systems management, and data analytics.

In an effort to enhance the country's competitiveness, Mr. Chang said the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, through the Professional Development Accreditation Board (MBOT), is tasked with developing initiatives to bridge the skills gap among workers and improve the capabilities of local talent pools.

To this end, MBOT established the Technology and Engineering Professional Development Council (TPDC) to build a comprehensive quality assurance and certification framework for short courses in technology and engineering fields, while addressing the industry's growing need for a highly skilled workforce.

Meanwhile, MBOT Chair, Professor Dr. Siti Hamisah Tapsir, stated that MBOT was established to achieve the goals outlined in the National Science, Technology and Innovation Policy 2021-2030, adding that one of the main drivers of this policy is the effort to improve the efficiency and professionalism of human resources in the fields of technology and innovation.