EMERGING roles like data analysts together with artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and digital transformation specialists are experiencing an increased demand due to the pandemic having accelerated the need for companies to move towards a digital-first workplace.
This was observed by JobStreet country manager Gan Bock Herm, who believes that the movement control order (MCO) has changed the way companies operate in order to survive and thrive, putting skills related to digital and IT at the top of the list.
“During MCO, our platform saw a drop in jobs offered across all industries. However, when restrictions were progressively loosened, JobStreet saw an increase in jobs offered of some 70% compared to when the pandemic was at its height,” he said during the launch of a joint initiative between JobStreet and the state government of Penang.
“As a result, job applications through our platform also increased accordingly in the past few months, an encouraging sign which shows that the economy is recovering,” he added.
Through InvestPenang, the state government of Penang embarked on a public-private employment initiative with JobStreet to continuously attract the right talent to join the state’s workforce.
The initiative will be conducted via a seven-day virtual career platform titled ‘Career Exploration Week: My Penang My Workplace’ from Sept 26 to Oct 2, 2020.
During the virtual launch, Penang chief minister Chow Kon Yeow said that the state managed to attract various strategic investments within the past recent years that translated into thousands of high-quality job opportunities.
He also emphasised that the state government is currently focused on elevating the liveability stature of Penang, which is one of the key goals of Penang 2030.
“We believe that this virtual platform will not only benefit active job-seekers, it will also benefit our industries as companies are able to promote their employment branding and career opportunities for current and future hires,” he added.
Meanwhile, InvestPenang CEO Loo Lee Lian mentioned that between Jan 2019 and Mar 2020, the state attracted RM24 bil worth of approved manufacturing investment inflows, with 90% of it are from industries such as electrical & electronics (E&E), machinery & equipment (M&E) as well as medical technology.
During those 16 months, Penang’s foreign direct investment (FDI) accounted for 34% of Malaysia’s total FDI, creating 22,921 jobs in the state at the time.
However, InvestPenang director Lee Kah Choon believes that the blanket entry imposed on the citizens of several countries by the federal government could end up dampening the local economy and affect the creation of new job opportunities.
This was reported earlier in September when InvestPenang released a statement for the federal government to reconsider the ban.
“70% of Penang’s FDI project values for 2019 and the first quarter this year were from companies headquartered in the US and the UK, which are now among the restricted countries,” Lee mentioned in the statement dated Sept 6, 2020.
He added that foreign expertise is needed to install equipment, transfer technical know-how and train the local Malaysian teams, especially in the E&E industry.
“This will result in more difficulty to compete for FDI in the future. With the multiple changes in policies, unclear criteria and long application processes, it has become literally impossible for investors to plan their businesses in the current environment. Our country cannot afford to implement non-science-based policies that will severely disrupt lives and the economy,” he added.
The entry ban will be on foreign citizens from countries that have recorded over 150,000 Covid-19 cases and apart from the US, include Britain, Brazil, Spain, France, Spain, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Bangladesh, India and the Philippines. – Sept 28, 2020
