THE problems of skills shortage and job mismatch could have serious repercussions if not addressed, said Human Resources Minister M. Kula Segaran.

He said the “backlash” will be felt by key industries, such as healthcare, manufacturing and construction, whose growth is driven by skilled workers.

He said he was surprised to find out during recent talks with CEOs that there is a shortage of skilled workers, and that companies find it difficult to find “apprentices” from the ministry, which trains about 15,000 people through its upskilling and reskilling programmes.

“This is probably due to a job mismatch, or something that is not coordinating well,” he said at the launch of the Monitoring Occupational Shortages: Lessons from Malaysia’s Critical Occupations List report in Putrajaya today.

Apart from the latest technologies, such as artificial intelligence and big-data analytics, said Kula Segaran, traditional skills like welding are in high demand.

“A lot of people don’t realise how important this skill is… and training is easily available at institutes under the ministry.

“Once they get a job, they earn a handsome salary, but for Malaysians, these kinds of jobs are their last choice. The mindset has to change.”

He said the ministry has submitted a proposal to Putrajaya, seeking funding and special incentives under Budget 2020 for programmes where people can pick up the said skills. – Bernama, September 12, 2019.