Malaysia's 2020 talent vision: Less dependency on foreign workers, AR and VR training, and more

This year, Malaysia will continue to ensure that every working Malaysian is skilled, reskilled or upskilled, Minister of Human Resources M Kulasegaran has assured.

In a press statement released on the eve of the New Year, shared on his Facebook page, he announced that the year 2020 has always been a significant one for Malaysians, and "together, we can ensure that all Malaysians are either skilled, reskilled, or upskilled in order to remain competitive in the job market."

He added: "Employers, on the other hand, must prioritise Malaysians and pay them better wages rather than hiring foreign workers. The country is striving to be less dependent on foreign workers, and employers must lead the way."

After having launched Skills Malaysia 2.0 in 2019 to incorporate IR4.0 in TVET training; in 2020, the ministry hopes to launch initiatives that are in line with "creating more 'New Collar' ready human capital."

These initiatives will include virtual reality and augmented reality training under Skills Malaysia 2.0, to provide Malaysians with a "better and more immersive training experience."

Apart from this, cybersecurity will also be introduced as a course in the Manpower Department Training Institute (ILJTM) centres.

Minister Kulasegaran concluded: "Although 2019 was stacked with challenges, celebrating the new year represents hope for 2020 and brighter days ahead."

The full statement is shared below:

Lead photo / 123RF