The Small and Medium Enterprises Association of Malaysia (Samenta) recently shared in an article published by The Edge that Malaysian SMEs need between one million and 1.5 million workers.
Malaysia is experiencing a shortage of skilled workers, especially since some of the foreign workers trained by the industry have been sent back home. A lot of locals, on the other hand, have either found opportunities in the gig economy or switched to other industries to make ends meet during the numerous Movement Control Orders.
It has been suggested that we increase our reliance on TVET graduates, especially since their skills are required for operations that require automation and technological transformation.
It was also stated in the same article that fragmented TVET delivery, the stigma surrounding TVET as a second-class education reserved for academically weak individuals, and poor perception of the industry is hindering the progress to reframe technical work as a credible career.
We cannot continue like this, as Malaysia needs highly skilled workers to fill the current gap between supply and demand across various industries, especially as we prepare for an economic transformation towards the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
In an age of technological transformations, TVET programmes also need to be restructured and futureproofed to prepare workers for the constantly evolving world of work.
We must ensure that quality graduates can meet the needs of the industry, earn a decent wage, and create jobs through TVET if we are to bridge the gap and meet industry demand.