Powering High-Value Industries with Skilled Talent

As Malaysia accelerates its transformation into a regional hub for high-value industries, the country’s talent pipeline remains a key driver of competitiveness. Recognising that skilled talent is at the heart of sustainable growth, MIDA continues to take proactive steps to align education and employment pathways, ensuring Malaysia remains attractive to investors and resilient in meeting future industry demands.

Since its launch on 23 March 2023, MIDA’s STF-TF, has been instrumental in aligning workforce development with industry needs. The initiative brings together 17 key stakeholders – including the Department of Higher Education (JPT) and the Department of Polytechnic and Community College Education (JPPKK) under the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE), as well as the Ministry of Education (MOE), Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA), the Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC), and several technical universities. The initiative focuses on bridging the gap between academia and industry through career fairs, internship placements, and direct recruitment support.

Several companies have already benefited from STF-TF’s efforts:

UWC Industrial Sdn. Bhd., a precision engineering firm in Penang specialising in CNC machining and sheet metal fabrication, tapped into STF-TF’s ecosystem for early engagement with institutions like JPPKK, Manpower Department (JTM), and MARA. With added support from the Pertubuhan Keselamatan Sosial (PERKESO) and MPC’s Akademi Dalam Industri (ADI) programme, UWC continues to fill crucial roles in its manufacturing operations.

Hartalega, a global nitrile glove manufacturer, successfully recruited over 190 engineers and technicians from JTM’s Advanced Technology Training Centre (ADTEC) and Institut Latihan Perindustrian (ILP) with MIDA’s support.

“MIDA’s facilitation has significantly accelerated our recruitment process. This collaboration ensures that we have access to a skilled talent pool, which is essential for maintaining our global standards in manufacturing.” – Mr. Ryan Shei, Senior Manager Talent Acquisition, Hartalega

Base Maintenance Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. (BMM), a subsidiary of SIA Engineering Company (SIAEC), offered talent development programmes for technicians and engineers through career engagements with Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) and PERKESO.

Beyond recruitment, MIDA focuses on ecosystem-wide collaboration for enduring workforce readiness:

Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS):
KBS oversees 22 Institusi Latihan Kemahiran Belia dan Sukan (ILKBS) institutions, comprising 13 Institut Kemahiran Belia Negara (IKBN), 8 Institut Kemahiran Tinggi Belia Negara (IKTBN), and 1 Akademi Kemahiran Belia Golf (AKBG). In collaboration with MIDA, companies such as Hartalega and ND Papers conducted engagement sessions with engineering students from IKTBN Sepang, Dusun Tua, and Bukit Mertajam. In 2024, ND Paper Malaysia (Selangor) Sdn. Bhd. formalised its commitment through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with KBS.

“Our partnership with MIDA ensures our graduates acquire industry-relevant skills aligned with Malaysia’s economic priorities. This collaboration creates direct pathways from training to employment for our talented youth.” – Ms. Dalila Sharingat, Director at Youth Skills Development Division, KBS

PERKESO:
Through initiatives like MYFutureJobs, PERKESO offers job matching and career services that complement MIDA’s STF-TF. Joint career fairs have successfully connected companies such as BMM and UWC Industrial Sdn. Bhd. with skilled candidates from across Malaysia.

“Working alongside MIDA and industry leaders in the STF-TF initiative has enhanced our efforts to cultivate skilled Malaysian talent.” – Employment Services Officer, PERKESO

Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC):
MPC’s Akademi Dalam Industri (ADI) programme focuses on enhancing workforce productivity through a place and train concept. With MIDA’s support, ADI has been widely promoted to help industries access a steady stream of technically skilled manpower.

Department of Polytechnic and Community College Education (JPPKK)
Under MOHE, JPPKK oversees 36 polytechnics and 106 community colleges, making it a critical partner in Malaysia’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) strategy. Its graduates are widely sought after for their hands-on technical skills and adaptability to industry settings.

Manpower Department (JTM)
JTM administers 33 training institutions, including ILPs, ADTECs and the Japan-Malaysia Technical Institute (JMTI) under the Ministry of Human Resources. Currently, JTM is collaborating with UWC Industrial Sdn. Bhd. to address the company’s manpower needs for welders and welding inspectors, an initiative facilitated by MIDA.

As Malaysia charts its industrial transformation through the NIMP 2030, building a resilient, future-ready workforce remains a national priority. In support of this agenda, MIDA formalised a strategic collaboration with MOHE through an MoU aimed at strengthening the alignment between talent development and industry needs.

Under this partnership, several high-impact initiatives are underway:

• Bengkel Penyelarasan Keperluan Bakat

Two dedicated talent alignment workshops were conducted to address workforce shortages in key industries:

• One focused on the Electrical & Electronics (E&E) sector, supported by MOHE and Collaborative Research in Engineering, Science and Technology (CREST), aimed at upskilling talent in both technical and soft competencies.

• A second workshop targeting the E&E and Machinery & Equipment (M&E) sectors was held in collaboration with the Penang Skills Development Centre (PSDC) to strengthen workforce planning and development strategies tailored to these high-growth areas.

• MoU Exchange with Malaysian Technical University Network (MTUN)

MIDA also expanded its collaboration with UTHM, Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA), Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM), and Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP) through a formal MoU exchange with MTUN. This engagement focuses on enhancing TVET delivery across the manufacturing value chain – ensuring a sustainable pipeline of specialised talent for future industry demands.

MIDA remains dedicated to narrowing the gap between talent supply and industry demand. By strengthening TVET, enhancing workforce productivity, and aligning skills with national industry goals, Malaysia is building a future-ready talent base to realise the ambitions of NIMP 2030.

For more information, you may contact the Industry Talent Management & Expatriate Division, MIDA at https://www.mida.gov.my/staffdirectory/industry-talent-management-and-expatriate-division/