KUALA LUMPUR (July 22): Human Resources Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong said on Monday the so-called future skills frameworks for 10 strategic sectors in the country are expected to be completed by the end of September.
The frameworks will be designed to be a guide for policymakers, employers and employees on workforce development of job roles and specific skills that will be in demand for the next three years, Sim said in his special address at the launch of the Future Skills Framework (FSF) for the financial sector.
The 10 sectors involved are information and communication technology (ICT), food manufacturing and services, pharmaceutical manufacturing, aerospace, electrical and electronics, wholesale trade and retail, chemicals, medical devices, energy and power, and global business services.
“The future skills framework for these 10 sectors will take a similar methodological approach with added weightage on the impact of artificial intelligence, digitalisation and the green economy, against these 10 sectors,” Sim said.
The 10 sectors, according to Sim, constitute about 79% of Malaysia’s total economic output.
“It will be data-driven and industry-driven, and Kesuma (the Ministry of Human Resources) can easily do this via our existing future skills talent councils, which are sectoral expert groups consisting of current professionals in each sector,” Sim noted.
To support this initiative, Sim said that the ministry will then set up an interactive public portal to allow businesses, employees, students, and policymakers to reference these frameworks with periodic updates.
The portal, the minister said, will also allow users to take personal jobs and skills assessments, and be connected to existing skill courses and job matching services.
“This will mark a new milestone in our policy-making, where the government, industry, and academics are pooling resources to come up with a powerful tool to shape decision-making at every level,” Sime said. “As we catch up on investments and growth in this country, we need a workforce that is ready to take up the challenges that come along.”