KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 6 (Bernama) -- Young Malaysians should not shy away from science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields over concerns that artificial intelligence (AI) will take over jobs, and instead view the technology as creating new opportunities and increasing the value of skilled workers.
Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Chang Lih Kang said this was particularly important as Malaysia had yet to achieve its long-standing target of a 60:40 science-to-arts ratio, despite upper-secondary STEM enrolment recovering to 50.83 per cent in 2024 from 41.84 per cent in 2019.
He said the number of Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) candidates taking Additional Mathematics fell 17.37 per cent between 2018 and 2023, while enrolment in Physics, Chemistry and Biology had also declined.
“Many Malaysian students are shying away from STEM streams, believing that, ‘AI will take over these jobs, so why bother?’ I find this concerning because their perceptions and career decisions will determine Malaysia’s future development,” he said in a statement today.
Chang said while AI was already transforming industries and some jobs could disappear, global trends showed that the technology would also create significant employment opportunities.
Citing the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025, he said about 92 million jobs were expected to be displaced globally by 2030, but 170 million new jobs were projected to be created, resulting in a net gain of 78 million jobs.
He said the fastest-growing roles included big data specialists, fintech engineers, AI and machine learning specialists, software developers and security specialists, while in Malaysia, TalentCorp’s national impact study on AI, digitalisation and the green economy identified about 697,000 jobs at risk of displacement within three to five years if workers failed to upskill.
However, the study also identified 120 emerging job roles, with about 70 per cent in AI and digital technology, while up to 60 per cent of employers surveyed expected AI to create jobs in their organisations, particularly roles requiring advanced digital skills.
Chang said Malaysia’s continued attraction of investments in STEM-related projects was also creating opportunities for local talent, with RM426.7 billion in investments approved in 2025 involving 8,390 projects, and expected to generate 244,902 new jobs.
Of the total, RM131.3 billion was in manufacturing, with electrical and electronics remaining a key sector, while foreign investors accounted for 76.6 per cent of manufacturing approvals, with the Managerial, Technical and Supervisory (MTS) index reaching 45 per cent in the first nine months of 2025, including positions for engineers, technologists and specialists.
He said Malaysia was nevertheless facing a shortage of skilled local talent, with industry estimates indicating that the country needed about 50,000 skilled engineers to meet current demand, while Malaysian universities produced roughly 5,000 engineering graduates annually.
“While industry estimates that Malaysia needs around 50,000 skilled engineers to meet current demand, Malaysian universities produce roughly 5,000 engineering graduates a year. So what we actually have is a shortage of Malaysians qualified to fill these roles,” he said.
Under the 13th Malaysia Plan (2026-2030), Chang said Malaysia was targeting 700,000 new manufacturing jobs and 500,000 new digital economy jobs, with skilled workers expected to account for more than 35 per cent of the workforce by 2030.
“You do not need to be the top scorer in Add Maths. The high-tech economy needs equipment technicians, process operators, precision machinists, test engineers, solar installers, data centre facilities specialists, biomedical device technologists and agritech operators.
“Many of these are Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) pathways that can pay better than a generic degree because the skills are specialised and employers genuinely need them,” he said, adding that the MADANI Government was supporting the development of STEM and TVET talent through various initiatives under Budget 2026.
Chang also said Malaysia could not aspire to become a high-income, technologically advanced nation if its young people were afraid of science and technology, adding that the country could not achieve technology sovereignty without Malaysians possessing the skills to design, operate and secure critical technologies.
“Do not run away from STEM because of AI. Run towards STEM because of AI. You do not have to become a scientist or engineer, or be the best at mathematics in your class, but if you build strong foundations in STEM, you give yourself more choices and greater adaptability in a world where technology will increasingly shape almost every career,” he said.
-- BERNAMA