Mosti: AI disruption looms in Malaysia, 600,000 workers must reskill in three to five years 

PUTRAJAYA, Jan 7 — Government analysis shows that more than 30 per cent 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, said Science, Technology, and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang.

He said the statistics revealed that more than 600,000 workers must undergo reskilling training within three to five years to remain relevant in the increasingly competitive job market.

“Furthermore, by 2030 the country is projected to require an additional 500,000 skilled workers to meet the demands of the technology and technical sectors. These figures highlight the urgent need to develop an effective training and certification ecosystem,” he said at today’s launch of the Malaysia Board of Technologists (MBOT) Professional Development Certification here.

Chang said Malaysia’s workforce must be prepared to face these changes as reskilling and upskilling processes become crucial, especially in technology and technical fields, so that Malaysia can remain competitive globally and meet the growing demands of the industry.

“Therefore, the government is actively ensuring that the courses and training offered are aligned with international standards and the needs of Industry 4.0. This includes courses in cybersecurity, smart systems management, and data analytics,” he said.

In efforts to strengthen the country’s competitiveness, Chang said the Science, Technology, and Innovation Ministry, through MBOT, has been tasked with developing initiatives to bridge the skills gap among workers and upgrade the capabilities of the local talent pool.

For this purpose, MBOT established the Technology and Technical Professional Development Council (TPDC) to develop a comprehensive quality assurance framework and certification for short-term courses in technology and technical fields while addressing the growing industry demand for a highly skilled workforce.

According to him, no specific body ensures the quality of the short courses offered, adding that the TPDC was formed to assess the quality of instructors, course content and approach, and evaluation methods, among other things.

Chang said through the TPDC framework, the training provided to Malaysian workers is recognised by the local industry and meets professional standards, ensuring that the skills acquired align with the ever-evolving needs of the global industry.

Meanwhile, MBOT president Prof Emerita Datuk Dr Siti Hamisah Tapsir, in her speech, said MBOT was established to achieve the goals outlined in the National Science, Technology and Innovation Policy 2021-2030, saying that one of the key thrusts of the policy emphasises efforts to enhance efficiency and professionalism of human capital in technology and innovation sectors.

“TPDC is also a crucial platform to engage various stakeholders in determining the direction for the development of relevant and competitive technology and technical human capital,” she said.

She added that collaboration with the Human Resources Development Corporation (HRD Corp) will recognise all short-term courses certified by MBOT as focus-area and industry-specific programmes. — Bernama