KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 8 (Bernama) -- Talent development must align with the country's economic direction, especially as artificial intelligence (AI), digitalisation, and the green economy transform the job landscape and the skills required.
Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri R. Ramanan said the government can attract investment and technology, and develop new industries, but without skilled talent, challenges could arise.
“We need to look ahead at which jobs will grow, what skills are required, and how we prepare Malaysians to seize these opportunities,” he said at the opening of MyBakat Week organised by Talent Corporation Malaysia Berhad (TalentCorp) at the Connexion Conference & Event Centre (CCEC) here today.
He said the growth of AI technology must be matched by efforts to enhance workforce capabilities to prevent society from falling behind as it adapts to these changes.
“If we allow AI to step ahead, we will be left behind. Therefore, we must move in step with AI developments.
“Although AI impacts all segments and can cause job losses, new job opportunities will emerge from AI technology at the same time,” he said.
In light of this, Ramanan said TalentCorp, in collaboration with Ernst & Young, is offering 22,000 free AI training places nationwide through the Jelajah AI Mahir roadshow.
At the event, he launched the National Talent Readiness Index Platform (MyTRI) and the MyBakat Incubation Programme (MyBIG). These interventions aim to strengthen TalentCorp's approach to identifying readiness levels and gaps, as well as developing talent based on industry needs.
“MyTRI helps us identify talent readiness and gaps, while MyBIG assists us in developing talent according to industry requirements. This is the ecosystem we want to build,” he said.
Ramanan added that TalentCorp will fund skills training, with durations depending on expertise level and programmes, typically lasting less than a year.
Commenting on Budget 2027, he said the ministry's focus would be on upskilling and reskilling efforts to produce more skilled workers.
He said that the influx of foreign investments into Malaysia drives the ministry to prioritise job opportunities for Malaysians over foreign workers.
-- BERNAMA