A farm grower Kay Soe harvesting Coral Lettuce at Opus farm in Shah Alam. Kesuma is focusing on the green economy, which the ILO has identified as one of the most significant sectors for developing new occupations.— FAIHAN GHANI/The Star
GREEN ECONOMY, aerospace and construction are among the key sectors that can address the shortage of high-skilled jobs in the country.
For example, the Human Resources Ministry (Kesuma) is focusing on the green economy, which International Labour Organisation (ILO) senior skills and employability specialist Akiko Sakamoto says to be one of the most significant sectors for developing new occupations.
Among the fastest-growing skilled jobs in the green economy globally are sustainability managers, ecologists, environmental health and safety specialists and solar consultants, according to data from LinkedIn.
Meanwhile, back in Malaysia, TalentCorp – which compiles the Critical Occupations List (MyCol) - found that some of the critical occupations in the green economy in the country include plantation managers, agricultural managers, geologists, occupational health and safety officers, waste management competence person and water technicians.
The Human Resource Ministry has recently pushed for the country's green job market, organising a Green Jobs Fair along with training and a Green Jobs Forum with its Asean counterparts back in April.
The green economy also includes sectors such as the rapidly growing electric vehicle (EV) industry, which government efforts have heavily boosted.
Aside from the green economy, TalentCorp also noted in the MyCol 2022/2023 that the aerospace, construction and food processing industries also have a great demand for highly skilled workers, which opens up the potential to develop these industries for new areas of employment in the country.
From its engagements with industry stakeholders, it found that the key occupational group with the most demand for the aerospace, food processing and construction industries were the professional group – 71%, 69% and 58% respectively.
“This reflects the aerospace industry as a highly professional and specialised sector which requires highly skilled workers with strong technical expertise,” the report read.
The government has placed importance on this high-value aerospace industry starting from the 11th Malaysia Plan, emphasising the development of the industry, its supply chain and its competency through industry-led research and technology, according to the Malaysian Investment Development Authority.
Putrajaya has also come up with the Malaysian Aerospace Industry Blueprint 2030 to help drive the industry’s growth.
Meanwhile, Malaysian Employers' Federation president Datuk Syed Hussain Syed Husman has listed some of Malaysia’s future high-skilled industries and jobs in demand:
i) Cybersecurity Specialist
The cybersecurity industry in Malaysia was forecasted to grow by 18.7% from an estimated RM3.9bil in 2021 to RM5.5bil in 2023. Malaysia has allocated RM60mil to CyberSecurity Malaysia to develop a 5G cybersecurity testing framework as part of the 2024 budget. Malaysia Digital Economic Blueprint (MyDigital) is targeting to produce 20,000 cyber security experts by 2025.
ii) AI & Data Science
The Industry4WRD spearheaded by MITI plays a critical role in promoting digitalisation across all sectors. Many of the fastest-growinga jobs and predicted future ones are driven by technology development, increased Internet connectivity, rapid globalisation and new business demands. Jobs like artificial intelligence specialists and data scientists are required across industries to help organisations and businesses be more efficient.
iii) Cloud Engineering
Malaysia’s Digital Economy Blueprint is also driving digital transformation in the public sector, with a target of achieving 80% utilisation of cloud computing storage. Fueled by digital transformation, increasing internet access, and smartphone adoption, the demand for robust data infrastructure has surged. The push towards remote services and cloud computing has further amplified the demand for Cloud engineers.
iv) Electrical & Electronics
E&E industries are expected to pick up in the coming years as global businesses capitalise on advancements in AI and automation, and begin demanding greater computing power. Malaysia remains a major player, cornering about 13% market share in global chip testing and assembly. Over the past year, a total of RM52bil in semiconductor investments have been secured, potentially creating 11,000 jobs in the sector.
v) Mechatronic and Robotics
Drones are widely used across industries and 3D modelling visualises building projects so workers can virtually check construction progress without going on-site. Robotics gain more interest as companies seek greater efficiencies while protecting the health and safety of their workers in dangerous environments.
vi) Digital Marketing
Digital marketing has become crucial for brands to reach prospective customers. The roles under this umbrella consist of digital marketing specialists responsible for creating marketing campaigns and reporting results; content creators for marketing purposes; video producers or graphic design artists for visual content and; search engine optimisation (SEO) specialists to ensure reachability.
vii) E-commerce
Malaysia’s e-commerce market has grown rapidly in recent years, fuelled by rising smartphone penetration and a willingness by shoppers to buy online. The e-commerce market in Malaysia is forecasted to grow at an annual growth rate of 24%. Experts in E-commerce are in great demand, as businesses seek to promote their products and build and enhance brand association and engagement channels with their customers via digital platforms.
viii) Renewable Energy and Green Technology
Malaysia is committed to green energy, aiming for approximately 40% of its power generation to come from renewable sources by 2035. Jobs in renewable energy, especially those requiring specialised skills, are expected to benefit from government investment, creating new high-skilled roles and driving up wages in this field.
ix) Financial Services and Fintech
The evolution of Malaysia's financial services sector, especially in areas like fintech, will drive demand for high-quality skilled workers in financial technology, risk management, and data analytics. This sector is expected to offer substantial wage growth as it continues to innovate and expand.
