The impact of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation is becoming increasingly apparent as Malaysia stands on the brink of a technological revolution. While we see today that half of the nation’s workforce believes that AI is a tool for enhancing their roles and productivity at work — a significant number also expressed concerns about their job security in the face of these technological advancements. This duality perfectly captures a wider issue and raises the question of a substantial gap between the potential benefits of modern technologies and the readiness of employees to fully embrace them.
The rapid acceleration of technological advancements showcases an array of opportunities, including streamlining daily tasks, boosting productivity, and fostering innovation and creativity. Despite all of these encouraging prospects, many Malaysians are apprehensive about the idea of AI taking over the workplace. A recent survey reveals that 71 per cent of them worry that these technological changes may jeopardise their job stability. This concern is rooted in the alarming skill gap, which threatens to undermine the potential advancements of AI and automation.
The urgent need for upskilling and reskilling
The current workplace landscape is now focusing on how to urgently upskill and reskill their current and future employees. While AI and automation promise to revolutionise the workplace by enhancing efficiency and productivity – they also pose a huge threat to job security and stability if businesses are not fully prepared for these advancements. Even if the employees are self-improving personally and professionally every single day at their work, they would not have enough resources to match the evolving changes, and their current skills may soon be obsolete.
The benefits of upskilling and reskilling are manifold. For employees as an example – honing new skills can lead to career advancement, sure, but how can they sustain them and be sure to always adapt to new environments every time? OpenAcademy exemplifies how to achieve this through its approach to professional development. By continuously updating its learning content to reflect the latest industry trends and technological advancements, we ensure that employees are not only gaining new skills but also staying ahead of evolving demands. This also includes incorporating feedback from industry experts as well as integrating the latest advancements into their learning content. Such a dynamic approach helps individuals maintain their competitive edge and effectively navigate the ever-changing job market.
The economic implications of failing to upskill and reskill are also very important. As industries advance and adapt, organisations that do not invest in their employees’ learning and development may face talent retention problems. This will hinder their ability to innovate and compete with other candidates. Additionally, the shift towards remote and hybrid work environments has further emphasised the need for upskilling and reskilling. The rise of digital collaboration tools and virtual workspaces, including Slack, Teams, and Asana, requires employees to develop new skills related to digital communication, project management, and cybersecurity. Those who fail to effectively adapt to these new work dynamics have definitely found themselves at a disadvantage in a competitive job market that increasingly values digital proficiency.
Driving industry innovation
Upskilling and reskilling initiatives play an important role in driving innovation in various industries. As new technologies emerge, businesses are taking advantage of creating more opportunities for new products and services as well as the latest business models. Research by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) found that 79 per cent of CEOs are concerned that a lack of essential skills in their workforce is threatening the future growth of their organisation. This future proves that employees who continuously develop their skills are more likely to contribute to innovative projects and bring fresh ideas to the table.
For instance, according to the latest report, Malaysia needs up to 30,000 skilled cybersecurity professionals by 2030 — which is why the urgent need for upskilling and reskilling is more imperative than ever. Reskilled professionals can lead to the development of cutting-edge technologies, factoring in their ability to apply and adapt to these advancements and methodologies, which often results in breakthrough innovations that drive the industry forward.
On top of that, the practice of learning and development will also help employees take risks and pursue projects that are outside of their comfort zone, leading to experimenting with new ideas and approaches. This culture of experimentation and innovation can slowly lead to self-improvement and breakthrough innovations within the company. Organisations and businesses should always support upskilling and reskilling initiatives and create an environment where creativity and innovation are encouraged and valued.
An urgent need for upskilling and reskilling in Malaysia
As Malaysian employees and organisations navigate these shifting challenges, the urgent need for upskilling and reskilling has become more critical than ever. The ability to adapt to new technologies is no longer an additional skill to make your resume look better than any other candidate but rather a strategic move that can determine whether you get the job or not. From the employees’ perspective, continuous learning is important and it is reported that 49 per cent of Malaysians worry about the lack of opportunities to work with or learn from colleagues with advanced technical or digital skills.
In addition, organisations must also acknowledge the strategic value of investing in their workplace’s development. There is no reason to not invest in learning and development. The commitment to upskilling and reskilling fosters a culture of adaptability and innovation, which will lead to business transformation and leverage new technologies effectively while staying ahead of their competitors.
The article titled “Future-proofing the workplace by upskilling and reskilling amid Malaysia’s AI advancements” was authored by Celine Ting, Co-founder and Managing Director of OpenAcademy,
About the author
Celine is currently leading OpenAcademy, the education subsidiary of OpenMindsTM. She has led digital projects across various industries including fashion, eCommerce retail, telecommunications, F&B and banking. Her experience within the digital space enabled her to assist brands in developing digital strategies and up-skilling digital competencies which has led her to the education industry and now into the elearning industry with the OpenAcademy App. She believes that anyone is able to make an impact with the right help. In order to continuously enable learning, she speaks and mentors at various events held by universities, startup events and corporate companies.