Published by Focus Malaysia, image from Focus Malaysia.
SINCE the demand for tech talents across every industry rapidly grows due to the massive adoption of technology by the small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in this COVID-19 era, it is a timely call for the country to aggressively develop and produce more tech talents in meeting the necessary demand for digital transformation.
This is because the demand for tech talents has increased significantly according to Randstad Malaysia’s latest talent outlook report, possibly due to the rise in demand for almost every organisation moving to the digital economy for business survival during the crisis.
Indeed, this unprecedented moment, which involves the country’s attempts to curb the COVID-19 spread, such as through various movement control order (MCO) phases, travel restrictions and face setbacks such as disruption of global supply chains, has forced businesses to establish the capability to operate digitally as the only secure way to survive and avoid business closures during the crisis.
For instance, Randstad Malaysia and Singapore managing director, Jaya Dass also stated that many organisations scrambled to have the right resources and technology to allow their workers to continue working remotely with the short window time to move operations from the office to home.
It is later proven by the survey of the IBM Institute for Business Value (IBV) that 60% of respondents, made up of executives, indicated that they had accelerated the digital transformation of their businesses amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
The IBV’s survey, called Digital Acceleration Study, also precisely portrayed the technologies that provide the most impressive performance impact on success across industries: mobile, artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud.
This is an inspiring piece of news for the nation about how COVID-19 presents companies with challenges, but at the same time provides them with opportunities to fasten digital transformation as the only way out of the pandemic shackles.
However, it is also a good lesson to be learned because digital adoption among companies was seen to be lower during pre- COVID-19 compared to now.
Frankly, the pandemic indeed opened up great opportunities for them to urgently embrace digital transformation due to relentless pandemic pressure and it should be consistent even after COVID-19 era.
But it’s becoming a problem when most companies are still struggling to search for the right tech talents who could effectively help leverage the technologies and in turn, can assist their digital transformation process.
This illustrates why it is essential to have reliable tech talents to ensure digital transformation’s success. It can be easily expressed; where businesses put the entire focus on the transition towards the digital economy, great tech talents also need to be there to perfect the digital adoption.
Furthermore, the growth of tech talents will also drive our country’s digital transformation progress or even in realising Malaysia 5.0 that has been actively championed by the chairman of Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) and the CEO of EMIR Research, Datuk Wira Hj Rais Hussin.
In terms of employment, Randstad Malaysia expects more job opportunities to be open to local talents due to this digital transformation. It may be like killing two birds with one stone, where it can secure more local workforce on meeting the high demand for tech talents and reduce the unemployment rate.
To further facilitate this fantastic digital initiative by the businesses, the government should put in more efforts into the tech talents development in Malaysia via great collaboration with various industries for a rapid and comprehensive effect.
For instance, MDEC has also introduced a programme called “tech talent development,” which is one of the critical strategic thrusts that will form the basis of the national digital strategy.
The IT industry also plays a significant role in magnifying the MDEC’s effort to train more tech talents effectively. The government will then be responsible for ensuring that the training and courses provided will give our local workforce valuable exposure and relevant skills in making this initiative a success.
Besides, the short-term Economic Recovery Plan (Penjana) was undoubtedly a brilliant idea in providing several initiatives for upskilling and reskilling the local workforce to meet the increased demands for tech talents.
However, it will take a long time to be successful, maybe around a few years, and therefore require more improvements so that the development of tech talents will be quicker and more effective to help companies survive throughout the ongoing crisis.
This can take the form of a robust on the job training by pairing up companies with respective training centres.
Given 2021 has just started, people will continue to observe how emerging technologies such as fintech, AI and the internet of things (IoT) will positively impact the nation across the year.
It’s just a matter of the preparation of the nation to face this massive digital transformation. In this case, the most prominent factor is the sufficient supply of tech talents to meet the high demand.
Not only that, Malaysia also needs to be fully prepared for better digital infrastructure to adapt to the new norm this year due to the continuous impact of COVID-19 to the country that would subsequently increase the urgency of digital adoption among businesses.
Farhan Kamarulzaman is a Research Assistant at EMIR Research, an independent think tank focused on strategic policy recommendations based on rigorous research.
Diterbitkan oleh Berita Harian.
KEPERLUAN kepada transformasi digital menuntut negara menghasilkan lebih ramai bakat teknologi bagi menampung permintaan.
Pengarah Urusan Randstad Malaysia dan Singapura, Jaya Dass, menyatakan kebanyakan organisasi berebut memiliki sumber serta teknologi tepat bagi membolehkan pekerja mereka terus beroperasi daripada jauh dengan masa singkat untuk memindahkan operasi dari pejabat ke rumah.
Ini kemudian dibuktikan tinjauan IBM Institute for Business Value (IBV) bahawa 60 peratus responden terdiri daripada eksekutif menunjukkan mereka mempercepatkan transformasi digital perniagaan di tengah pandemik COVID-19.
Tinjauan IBV dikenali Digital Acceleration Study juga mengesahkan teknologi yang memberikan kesan prestasi paling hebat terhadap kejayaan di seluruh industri iaitu mudah alih, kecerdasan buatan (AI) dan awan (cloud).
Ini berita yang memberi inspirasi kepada negara tentang bagaimana COVID-19 menghadirkan cabaran kepada syarikat, tetapi pada masa sama memberi peluang untuk mempercepatkan transformasi digital sebagai satu-satunya jalan keluar daripada belenggu wabak.
Namun, suatu yang baik untuk dipelajari apabila penggunaan digital dalam kalangan syarikat dilihat lebih rendah ketika sebelum COVID-19 berbanding sekarang.
Masalahnya, kebanyakan syarikat masih berusaha mencari bakat tepat yang dapat memanfaatkan teknologi dengan berkesan, seterusnya membantu proses transformasi digital mereka.
Ini menggambarkan betapa pentingnya memiliki bakat teknologi yang boleh dipercayai bagi memastikan kejayaan transformasi digital.
Ia dapat dinyatakan dengan mudah, di mana perniagaan memberi tumpuan sepenuhnya kepada peralihan ke arah ekonomi digital, bakat teknologi hebat juga perlu ada untuk menyempurnakan usaha itu.
Pembangunan bakat teknologi juga mendorong kemajuan transformasi digital negara atau bahkan merealisasikan Malaysia 5.0.
Dari segi pekerjaan, Randstad Malaysia menjangkakan lebih banyak peluang terbuka kepada bakat tempatan. Mungkin seperti sambil menyelam minum air, ia dapat menghasilkan lebih ramai tenaga kerja tempatan untuk memenuhi permintaan bakat teknologi yang tinggi dan mengurangkan kadar pengangguran.
Namun, kerajaan harus melakukan lebih banyak usaha dalam pembangunan bakat teknologi di Malaysia melalui kerjasama hebat dengan pelbagai industri untuk kesan yang pantas dan menyeluruh.
Sebagai contoh, Perbadanan Ekonomi Digital Malaysia (MDEC) memperkenalkan program pembangunan bakat teknologi yang menjadi antara teras strategi penting yang akan menjadi dasar strategi digital nasional.
Industri teknologi maklumat (IT) juga memainkan peranan penting memperbesar usaha MDEC melatih lebih ramai bakat teknologi dengan berkesan.
Kerajaan pula bertanggungjawab memastikan latihan dan kursus diberikan kepada tenaga kerja tempatan memberi pendedahan berharga serta kemahiran relevan dalam menjayakan inisiatif ini.
Selain itu, Pelan Jana Semula Ekonomi Negara (PENJANA) tidak diragukan menjadi idea bernas dalam menyediakan beberapa inisiatif meningkatkan kemahiran tenaga kerja tempatan demi memenuhi permintaan meningkat untuk bakat teknologi.
Bagaimanapun, ia akan memakan masa lama untuk berjaya, mungkin sekitar beberapa tahun. Oleh itu, lebih banyak peningkatan diperlukan supaya pembangunan bakat teknologi akan lebih pantas dan berkesan untuk membantu perniagaan bertahan sepanjang krisis sedang berlangsung.
Ini dapat didatangi dengan pelbagai bentuk latihan pekerjaan mantap dengan kerjasama syarikat dan pusat latihan masing-masing.
Memandangkan 2021 baru saja bermula, orang ramai akan terus memerhatikan bagaimana teknologi baharu muncul seperti fintech, AI dan internet kebendaan (IoT) akan memberi kesan positif kepada negara sepanjang tahun.
Ia hanyalah soal persiapan negara untuk menghadapi transformasi digital yang besar. Dalam kes ini, faktor paling menonjol adalah penyediaan bakat teknologi yang mencukupi bagi menampung permintaan tinggi ini.
Bukan itu sahaja, Malaysia juga harus bersiap sedia sepenuhnya untuk infrastruktur digital lebih baik bagi menyesuaikan diri dengan norma baharu tahun ini kerana kesan berterusan COVID-19 terhadap negara akan meningkatkan kepantasan penggunaan digital dalam kalangan perniagaan.
Farhan Kamarulzaman merupakan Pembantu Penyelidik di EMIR Research, sebuah organisasi pemikir bebas yang berfokuskan kepada pencernaan saranan-saranan dasar strategik berteraskan penyelidikan yang terperinci, konsisten dan menyeluruh.
