As Malaysia works towards having 35% of its workforce under the highly skilled category by 2030 as part of its plans to become a high-income economy, it is crucial that the country’s workforce receive the training and development needed to prepare them for the future.

It is noteworthy that up to 97% of employees in Randstad’s Workmonitor survey in 2022 believe training is necessary to attain higher job satisfaction, but only 36% reported receiving proper employee training.

This gap, if left unaddressed, may hamper the nation’s efforts in future-proofing its workforce. Providing more upskilling opportunities for Malaysian talents is also important as the country aims to create 300,000 highly-skilled youth jobs by 2025.

Established in 1993 to create a structured and cohesive process to fund employee training and development programmes by registering and collecting a levy from employers, HRD Corp has become the custodian of the country’s human capital development efforts. These include expanding its upskilling and reskilling efforts to all Malaysian organisations and individuals, and providing employment, placement and income-generating opportunities to needy communities.

HRD Corp recorded its best-performing year in 2022, collecting over RM1.8 billion in levy, disbursing over RM728 million in training funds, and approving more than 1.5 million training places for close to 880,000 trainees.

One of HRD Corp’s most successful and long-running efforts is the HRD Awards, organised since 2001 to encourage Malaysian employers to utilise their levy effectively to train and upskill their employees.

The annual awards ceremony aims to recognise employers that have not only implemented successful human capital programmes in their respective organisations, but also contributed significantly to the nation’s human capital development landscape. It also serves as a platform to show appreciation for the training providers’ tireless efforts in improving the training ecosystem.

Human Resources Minister V Sivakumar said: “In addition to recognising exemplary employers, the HRD Awards also pay tribute to training providers and trainers who have consistently delivered high-quality training programmes to the national workforce that help strengthen the training development ecosystem. These professionals are the architects of skill development, equipping individuals with the tools they need to excel in today’s dynamic work landscape.

“[Meanwhile] visionary leaders have understood and harnessed the transformative power of investing in their employees to drive organisational success. They stand as beacons of inspiration, setting benchmarks for the nation’s HR excellence,” the minister added.

More than two decades since their inception, the HRD Awards and HRD Corp have undergone significant changes and expansion. These changes reflect a commitment to inclusive talent development, recognition of excellence, and alignment with the country’s broader human capital goals.

The HRD Awards have evolved to encompass a broader range of eligible employers and more diverse recognition categories. The event is a comprehensive platform for celebrating HR and training achievements that are changing rapidly and approaching human capital in more innovative, progressive ways.

Following a two-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the awards were reintroduced in 2022 with more nomination criteria added, making the selection process even more competitive.

This year, HRD Corp is on a mission to make the awards bigger and better through its two main awards and many more newly added nominations, categories and prizes. This has led to a 200% increase in the number of entries which is a record-breaking submission this year from organisations nationwide, with HRD Awards 2023 recording its highest award submissions to date.

HRD Corp chief executive Datuk Wira Shahul Dawood said, “The HRD Awards 2022 was an enormous success after being brought back two years after the world had come to a pause due to the Covid-19 lockdown, and among its significant winners were Malaysia Airlines Bhd, CIMB Bank Bhd and Cuckoo International (MAL) Sdn Bhd.

“With the highest number of applications and submissions since its debut over 20 years ago, HRD Awards 2023 will cap off its biggest-ever celebration this year on Oct 30 at M Resort & Hotel Kuala Lumpur. This celebration is a testament to HRD Corp’s commitment to honouring and promoting excellence in the workplace, emphasising the importance of fostering a culture of learning development and continuous improvement,” Shahul added.

Beyond recognising excellence and inspiring innovation, the HRD Awards also hold a significance in talent attraction and retention, setting the benchmark for industry best practices in HR and training, enabling networking and collaboration among industry practitioners, while offering widely respected public recognition to the winners.

The HRD Awards celebration has earned its reputation as one of the most prestigious and credible events in the HR and training industry in Malaysia, thanks to the rigorous selection process, long-standing tradition, esteemed panel of judges, transparent process, industry recognition and impactful outcomes.

A winner of the HRD Awards 2022, Malaysia Airlines group chief human capital officer Datuk Mohd Khalis Abdul Rahim said the award is a testament to the company’s commitment to developing the human capital within the organisation. “Our strategy moving forward is to future-proof our workforce, and ensure an environment that encourages people to learn and let me tell you that we can’t do this without the support of HRD Corp.”

Gurdip Singh Sidhu, group chief operating and people officer of CIMB Bank, said, “We are thankful for the recognition. This confirms and recognises all the effort that we are putting in developing our human capital, creating the right work environment, and building the talent that is future-proof for the bank today and in the future.”

Hoe Kian Choon, founder and CEO of Cuckoo International (Mal), said, “We have finally won this award and this award is very meaningful because human capital is always very important for Cuckoo International, and we want to learn and level up our talents. So let us fight together with our new corporate culture ahead. We will fight and we will keep investing for the human capital.”

The HRD Awards this year will be held in conjunction with the NHCCE 2023. Both events are set to spur and celebrate Malaysia’s learning and development scene.

Featuring over 30 world-renowned human capital thought leaders, forward-thinking HR practitioners and subject-matter experts, NHCCE promises a thought-provoking discourse setting that harnesses the prevalent surge of globalisation and digitalisation demand in the current socioeconomic environment.

Themed “Pioneering Growth, Inspiring Change”, NHCCE 2023 will host around 10,000 visitors and learning delegates at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) on Oct 30 and 31. The exciting two-day conference will cover five pillars that have been carefully selected to reflect and expand on the theme of NHCCE 2023.