COMPANIES are accelerating the adoption of digital technologies and are accordingly focused on reskilling and upskilling their employees in digital technologies and applications, a survey conducted by the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) has found.
The MDEC Digital Talent Survey 2021 revealed that more companies have adopted digital platforms due to the pandemic.
According to the survey findings, 48% of companies in the country adopted digital tech platforms for day-to-day operations this year compared to 19% in 2020.
With this shift, 85% of companies surveyed recognise the need to reskill their employees.
Over the past year, the focus has shifted from digital productivity and remote working skills to technical skills such as data analytics, cybersecurity, cloud computing, digital marketing, and software development.
The results of the survey were shared at MDEC’s Digital Talent CEO Roundtable which was held during the recently concluded Malaysia Tech Month.
The roundtable involved 25 CEOs and C-suite leaders of local tech companies and multinational corporations; industry associations such as the National ICT Association of Malaysia (PIKOM) and Malaysia Digital Association; and think-tank Social Economic and Research Initiative (SERI).
The industry leaders provided valuable insights on the local digital talent landscape.
With regards to recruitment of digital talents, there was consensus that companies are increasingly prioritising skills over academic qualifications.
The CEOs also discussed the importance of nurturing the future talent pipeline and recognised the need for companies to take a more active role in providing inputs to curriculum and project-based learning.
Industry leaders are also seeing more companies focusing on internal staff mobility, where staff are reskilling and changing roles within the organisation.
“In line with MDEC’s vision to create shared prosperity amongst all Malaysians, we are committed to empowering Malaysians with the necessary skills to succeed in an increasingly digitalised economy,” said MDEC vice president and head of digital skills and jobs Dr Sumitra Nair.
“In this regard, the MDEC Digital Talent CEO Roundtable is an important platform to ensure alignment of our efforts with industry requirements.”
Over the years, MDEC’s digital talent and inclusivity initiatives have impacted more than three million Malaysians via digital skills and income opportunities.
These include initiatives such as #MyDigitalMaker Movement, eUsahawan, Premier Digital Tech Institute, Digital Skills Training Directory and Let’s Learn Digital, among others.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government via MDEC has also introduced the #MyDigitalWorkforce Work in Tech (MYWiT) initiative earlier this year to help reskill or upskill unemployed Malaysians for digital tech and services jobs.
This is a hiring and training incentive that is expected to benefit 6,000 unemployed Malaysians.
This is the second Digital Talent CEO Roundtable following the initial one taken place in 2019.
The first roundtable had formed the basis for MDEC’s recent digital talent development initiatives, which included Digital Skills Training Directory, MYWiT, and the digital tech curriculum standards for TVET institutions. – Oct 1, 2021.
Pic credit: HRM Asia
