TALENT management has become a central pillar of success for Malaysia’s technology sector, with companies recognising that a strong and sustainable talent pipeline is essential for long-term competitiveness.
Kenanga Research in a report highlights how nine major tech players, Inari, MPI, ViTrox, UWC, Unisem, KGB, Oppstar, D&O and Pentamaster, are investing heavily in developing, expanding and retaining skilled workers, which aligns closely with the National Semiconductor Strategy’s emphasis on talent.
Inari excels through its structured upskilling programmes, close collaboration with educational and government bodies, and extensive internship initiatives, achieving over 78,000 training hours in FY25 and reducing turnover.
On the other hand, ViTrox strengthens the talent ecosystem through ViTrox College, TVET partnerships, apprenticeships, and strong internship-to-employment pathways.
UWC focuses on demand-driven skill development via its Education Centre at Politeknik Seberang Perai, complemented by scholarships, in-house academies and targeted technical training.
MPI and Unisem continue to build structured graduate and trainee programmes, equipping fresh entrants with technical and cross-functional capabilities while improving retention.
KGB enhances its talent roadmap through leadership development, technical certifications, early-talent pipelines and cross-border mobility. Meanwhile, Oppstar, maintains a high internship-to-hire conversion rate, supported by strong academia partnerships and IC design training initiatives.
D&O and Pentamaster also ramp up training investments and STEM outreach, nurturing future engineers through workshops, competitions and school-based programmes.
These collective efforts support the NSS, which targets 60,000 highly skilled engineers by 2030, alongside major national initiatives such as the Arm-led On-Demand Training Programme aimed at scaling IC design capabilities.
The government’s multi-phase plan, supported by R&D hubs and international partnerships, aims to position Malaysia as a global semiconductor powerhouse.
Overall, the sector’s commitment to talent development underpins its resilience and future growth prospects. Kenanga maintains OUTPERFORM calls on the tech sector, with KGB and UWC highlighted as top picks due to their alignment with the industry’s front-end expansion cycle. —Dec 5, 2025
Main image: Pixabay
