Sagah (seated centre), Harden (seated left), and Thomas (seated right) in a group photo with participants of the IAC Workshop. – Photo by Roystein Emmor

KUCHING (Nov 6): Sarawak aims to achieve a 30 per cent target or 500,000 of skilled workforce in line with its aspiration to become a high-value knowledge economy built on a skilled and high-performing workforce by the year 2030, said Dato Sri Roland Sagah Wee Inn.

The Education, Innovation and Talent Development Minister said as the state strives to build a developed and high-income economy, human capital and talent development remain at the core of its aspirations.

“Based on a study conducted by the Ministry of Education, Innovation and Talent Development together with ChemSains Konsultant Sdn Bhd, four talent requirements are in high demand by most industries namely trades such as electricians, mechanics, welders, builders, metal fabricators, and so on; engineers (power systems, telecommunications, civil and structural, geotechnical, mechanical, hydropower specialists, chemical process analysis); support (education and training, hospitality, food services, accommodation, and relocation); and other roles (project managers, procurement specialists, architects, surveyors, lawyers).

“To close the skills gap, higher education institutions must work more closely with industry to promote job-skill alignment, combining labour market data with industry input to define the skills likely to be needed for tomorrow’s jobs,” he said when officiating at the Industry-Academia Collaboration (IAC) Workshop here today.

He said collaborations between the government, academia and established training providers, will ensure that industry players have access to the right skilled workforce while promoting upskilling and manpower development.

“Our vision is to create a thriving society in Sarawak where economic prosperity, social inclusivity, and sustainability are driven by data and innovation.

“We aim to harness the abundance of talent, natural resources, land, and renewable energy that Sarawak offers, underpinned by political stability. Together, we can tap into these blessings to create more job opportunities and a brighter future,” said Sagah.

On the IAC Workshop organised by the Ministry of Education, Innovation and Talent Development, Talent Corporation Malaysia Berhad (TalentCorp), and Regional Corridor Development Authority (Recoda), he said the event marked a step toward fostering synergy between academia and industry, identifying and addressing talent-related challenges, and shaping the future of Sarawak’s workforce.

Later at a press conference, Sagah said his ministry is holding the workshop to identify ways to fulfill and achieve the 30 per cent target of skilled workforce.

“We are working towards trying to get the academia and industries to be able to collaborate and come up with required skills later for our workforce.

“Hopefully, we can achieve target and we are not only depending on education institutions in Sarawak but throughout Malaysia as well,” he said.

Also present were Deputy Education, Innovation and Talent Development Minister Datuk Francis Harden Hollis and TalentCorp group chief executive officer Thomas Mathew.