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Going Digital: Is It a Must for SMEs Today?

Mohamad Danial bin Ab. Khalil
by Mohamad Danial bin Ab. Khalil
Feb 24, 2021 at 4:39 PM

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The economy relies more and more on digital technologies, which means that there is a real need to prepare a candidate pool of new graduates and those in the workforce for digital jobs. 

According to IDG Digital Business Survey 2019, 91% of companies adopt or have a "digital-first" business strategy. They will spend an average of RM15.3 million on digital initiatives for the next 12 months. 

The Department of Statistics Malaysia reports that small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) make up 48.4% of Malaysia's employment. Based on a Huawei Report, 48% of SMEs lacked digital skills.

According to the World Economic Forum's The Future of Jobs Report 2020, 8 out of 10 top emerging job positions in Malaysia require digital tech skills, including:

  • Data scientists and analysts, 

  • Digital transformation specialists, 

  • Internet of Things specialists, and 

  • Cybersecurity specialists. 

The Ministry of Education's Graduate Tracer Study 2018 reported that 1 out of 5 graduates was jobless and that digital skills acquisition was part of the solution. The Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) understands the need for a holistic talent pipeline aiming to upskill Malaysians digitally.

From the future talent pipeline to the rural communities, differently-abled and the B40 populace and those looking for intricate career opportunities, they can only be fulfilled through specialised digital talent.

 

Digital Upskilling Initiatives in Malaysia

Many initiatives offer Malaysians digital upskilling opportunities, even in its diverse workforce. For instance, MDEC's #mydigitalmaker, which plans to cultivate digital cultivation, problem-solving skills and creativity among students, has impacted over 1.6 million students across the country.

Other initiatives include working with the Premier Digital Tech Institutions and the Education Ministry to ensure that industry-relevant content is integrated into the curricula of the 11 universities and 5 polytechnics under the programme. This year, more higher learning institutions are ready to join the programme. 

Launched in November 2020, MDEC's MyDigitalWorkforce Movement organises webinars and satellite events. It also held a digital job exposition in August 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Apart from that, MDEC also developed the Digital Skills Training Directory and #MyDigitalWorkforce Jobs Platform.


Today, there are more digital upskilling opportunities for Malaysians.

#MyDigitalWorkforce Jobs Platform offers over 2,000 vacancies and career opportunities in jobs related to digital technologies. At the end of 2020, the platform received over 23,000 applications, with about 700 shortlisted for interviews. The number of applications and jobs offered proceeds to rise every day. 

MDEC's Digital Skills Training Directory is a catalogue of courses that addresses in-demand digital skills. With 173 courses, it covers in-depth training and certification at three levels: beginner's, intermediate, and advanced. Some of the courses include game development, animation, software development, cybersecurity, and data sciences. 

 

In 2021, the tech sector covers 18.5% of Malaysia's gross domestic product, which is the highest in the region. It also covers 30% of Asean's Internet economy, making it the Heart of Digital ASEAN.

Talent is a vital component in Malaysia's digital ecosystem as digital competencies are catalysts for digitalisation across SMEs, industries and the people at large. Does your company prioritise the candidate's digital skills?

 

Source: NST

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