PREPARE UNDERGRADUATES TO MEET JOB MARKET DEMANDS – EXPERTS

Technological revolution is transforming the global labour market landscape, including Malaysia’s, with digital technology becoming the backbone of many key industries such as manufacturing, business, healthcare, finance and agriculture.

Digital technology not only simplifies work but also makes an organisation’s operations more efficient, both in terms of productivity and cost.

Among the important and widely used branches of digital technology in industry are artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT), which support automation and robotics systems.

Experts predict that human reliance on digital technology will continue to grow rapidly in the future, which in turn demands a workforce skilled in this field.

Unfortunately, according to experts, Malaysia’s institutions of higher learning have yet to fully meet this demand, with the majority of graduates lacking these value-added skills, making it more challenging for them to secure employment.

EXPOSURE TO TECHNOLOGY

Deputy dean (Research, Development and Publication), Faculty of Technology Management and Business, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM), Associate Prof Dr Md Asrul Nasid Masrom said in this era of digitalisation, graduates can no longer rely solely on academic achievements as the sole benchmark of success.

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This is because they are facing a more complex and challenging work environment and therefore, comprehensive preparation including adapting to technology is necessary for them to compete in an increasingly competitive job market.

“Graduates today actually have high potential in adapting to digital technology because most of them were born and raised in the digital era.

“However, this ability seems to depend greatly on the extent of their exposure to technology throughout their studies, the readiness of learning infrastructure, as well as the graduates’ own initiative in exploring new technologies,” he told Bernama.

He said the emergence of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR4.0), which is closely related to automation, has expanded the use of digital technology in most industries today.

As such, the skill to ‘play’ with technology, especially those related to digital tools, is important and graduates who lack these skills may be left behind in the industry.

“Although they are tech-savvy and know how to use it, their technical skills and in-depth proficiency (in technology) still need to be strengthened through (their involvement in) practical projects and industrial training as well as early exposure to real-life situations (in handling technology).

“Graduates also need to be exposed to the ethical use of technology so that they use it responsibly, ultimately benefiting everyone,” he said.

ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES

Md Asrul Nasid also said institutions of higher learning need to play a proactive role in shaping graduates to meet market demands.

However, he noted the degree of preparedness among these universities to ensure their students are capable of adopting new technologies has not reached the desired level.

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“Some institutions have restructured their curricula to include elements such as AI, IoT and automation, which are currently used in industries. However, there are still gaps between the courses offered and the actual needs of the industry.

“Some programmes remain overly theoretical or academic and are not well-suited to adapting to technological advancements… in the context of AI, for instance, many institutions have yet to make AI a compulsory component in non-IT programmes, so regular curriculum reviews based on current job market data are essential,” he said.

He also recommended that institutions of higher learning develop a comprehensive digital learning ecosystem, complete with smart labs and digital-based learning, to better prepare students for the challenging work environment.

Md Asrul Nasid added that to ensure graduates are more prepared to enter the job market, a more comprehensive alignment and collaboration between universities and industry is crucial. This collaboration would allow for the existing curricula to be enhanced in line with the skills currently required by employers.

“This also includes undertaking joint research emphasising technological knowledge. Industry involvement in such studies should also be encouraged so that it can be commercialised.

“Strong partnerships between universities and industry are necessary to ensure academic programmes are not developed in isolation without fulfilling current labour market needs,” he said.

COMPREHENSIVE EFFORTS

Meanwhile, Dr Anim Zalina Azizan, a senior lecturer at the Faculty of Technology Management and Business at UTHM, acknowledged that Malaysia is currently at a critical stage in ensuring its global competitiveness in disruptive technologies, which include automation and the digital industry.

She said this is evident through the government’s launch of various initiatives such as the Malaysia Digital Economy Blueprint, MyDigital, National AI Roadmap 2021–2025 and the New Industrial Master Plan 2030, all aimed at strengthening the digital ecosystem and mainstreaming digital skills across various sectors.

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“Higher education and skills training are now the main thrusts in preparing the future workforce… efforts to strengthen the curriculum by putting more emphasis on digital literacy, AI, data science, as well as critical thinking and problem-solving are essential to ensure that our graduates are capable of competing in an increasingly technology-driven job market.

“The use of digital technology and AI not only boosts productivity and efficiency but also creates high-value job opportunities. However, it also presents challenges such as the replacement of routine jobs by automation, which requires large-scale reskilling and upskilling strategies to keep the workforce relevant and inclusive,” she said, stressing the importance of implementing digital talent development programmes at universities and enhancing vocational training to build a strong foundation of knowledge and skills in new technologies among graduates.

This step, she said, is crucial as Malaysia still faces a shortage of highly skilled workers in digital technology, especially AI engineers, automation and robotics experts, and professionals experienced in operating advanced digital systems.

According to Anim Zalina, there is a digital skills gap – while the demand for AI specialists, data analysts and cybersecurity professionals is rising, the supply of qualified local talent remains insufficient, forcing companies to rely on foreign experts to fill those roles.

“This situation arises when education and training are misaligned, with higher education curricula still heavily focused on conventional subjects without adequate emphasis on AI, automation and digital technology skills. Workforce reskilling and upskilling efforts are also still at an early stage,” she said.

She said the Ministry of Higher Education and universities need to adopt a holistic and integrated approach, including updating their curricula, developing continuous training programmes and establishing a robust AI ecosystem.

These steps are vital to ensure that graduates are ready to meet the needs of the nation’s labour market, thus helping Malaysia position itself within the increasingly challenging global industrial league, she added.

-- BERNAMA