September-October. 2025 |
COVER STORY 09 talent.
By combining international expertise with strong IP policies, MOSTI ensures that foreign collaboration strengthens rather than overshadows the capabilities of Malaysian professionals.
INDUSTRY TALENT INCENTIVES
MOSTI also recognises that the private sector plays a vital role in talent development. Several incentives and programmes have been designed to encourage companies to invest in local skills and collaborate with educational institutions.
One such initiative is BeST 2.0 under Bioeconomy Corporation. This six-month ' Place, Train & Hire ' programme enhances graduate employability in the biotechnology sector by equipping participants with industry-relevant technical skills and work experience.
Delivered through a tripartite collaboration among the government, industry, and higher education institutions, BeST 2.0 enables companies to host trainees, share resources, and ultimately hire talent trained to meet industry-specific needs.
“ In the tech entrepreneurship space, MOSTI’ s agency Cradle has rolled out the MYStartup initiatives, including MYHackathon, MYStartup Accelerator, MYStartup Bootcamp, MYStartup Dev, and Venture Connect.
“ These programmes provide aspiring entrepreneurs with mentorship, funding opportunities, and a launchpad to accelerate the growth of Malaysia’ s startup ecosystem,” said Chang.
Part of the Malaysian Startup Ecosystem Roadmap( SUPER), MYStartup aligns with MOSTI’ s ambitious goal of creating 5,000 startups and 10,000 coders by 2030.
This ensures that companies are not only beneficiaries of government policies but also active partners in driving Malaysia’ s talent and innovation agenda, underscoring Malaysia’ s commitment to positioning itself as a regional leader in technology-driven innovation.
FUTURE-READY STEM
One of Malaysia’ s most significant challenges in building a future-ready workforce lies in strengthening the STEM pipelines, as declining enrolment in science streams continues to raise concern.
To spark early interest, MOSTI has introduced initiatives such as Malaysia Techlympics, STEM Camp, and STI 100 ³. Malaysia Techlympics, one of the nation’ s largest talent discovery platforms, engages participants aged 7 to 30 in solving real-world problems through innovation, with over 1.5 million participations to date.
Complementing this, STEM Camps offer interactive, hands-on learning experiences beyond the classroom. At the same time, STI 100 ³ brings scientists directly into schools as role models to inspire young Malaysians towards careers in science and technology.
Beyond nurturing early interest, MOSTI is also strengthening Malaysia’ s STEM capacity at the graduate and professional levels.
The STEM Upskilling and Reskilling programmes, developed in collaboration with partners such as MBOT, Malaysian Research Accelerator for Technology and Innovation( MRANTI), and Ministry of Human Resources( KESUMA), equip participants with skills in emerging fields, including artificial intelligence, blockchain, renewable energy, industrial automation, and data science.
This ensures the workforce remains relevant and competitive in the digital economy.
WORKFORCE OF THE FUTURE
MOSTI’ s 2025 agenda makes it clear that building a future-ready workforce requires more than just technical training. It requires strong partnerships, continuous quality assurance, and a focus on meeting market needs.
From TPDC’ s rigorous certification frameworks to MIMOS’ s role in shaping micro-credential ecosystems, and from foreign talent integration to startup incubation, these initiatives share a common purpose, which is to ensure Malaysia’ s workforce is equipped, adaptable, and globally competitive.
“ The ministry’ s approach combines policy-driven structure with industry collaboration, ensuring that programmes are not only well-designed but also practically beneficial to employers and professionals alike. This is not just about preparing for the future; it is about actively shaping it,” added Chang.
Chang Lih Kang
Igniting STEM interest in schools
MOSTI is making STEM exciting and accessible, especially in underserved communities, through four flagship initiatives.
1. Malaysia Techlympics
Malaysia Techlympics is one of the largest national platforms for discovering science, technology, and innovation talent. It has engaged over 1.5 million participants nationwide. The Olympic Games inspire it, and it targets youth aged 7 to 30 years. The Malaysia Techlympics 2025 National Grand Finals will take place on Nov 9 to 10, 2025, at the Melaka International Trade Centre.
2. STEM Camp
The STEM Camp programme offers hands-on, interactive learning experiences for primary and secondary students. Developed in collaboration with science, technology, and innovation agencies and industry partners, it strengthens the real-world application of science concepts. In 2025, 31 camps are scheduled in Cycle 1 from May to Aug, with Cycle 2 running from Sep to Dec.
3. STI 100 ³( 100 Scientists, 100 Schools, 100 Days)
The STI 100 ³ initiatives bring scientists directly into classrooms to serve as role models. In 2024, two cycles were completed with 150 scientists in 150 schools. In 2025, Cycle 1 will involve 83 scientists
4. STEM Upskilling and Reskilling Programme
The STEM Upskilling and Reskilling programme targets STEM graduates and professionals, equipping them with skills that are future-ready. Areas of focus include artificial intelligence, data science, blockchain, industrial automation, and renewable energy. The programme is delivered in collaboration with partners such as MRANTI, MBOT, and KESUMA.
THE ROAD AHEAD
As Malaysia moves towards its digital economy aspirations, MOSTI’ s initiatives in 2025 will be critical in ensuring the country remains competitive in the global technology landscape.
Its strategies combine immediate action to meet industry needs with long-term investments in nurturing STEM talent from a young age.
By embedding industry relevance into every training programme, leveraging both local and foreign expertise, and creating tangible opportunities for talent growth, the ministry is setting a strong foundation for sustained innovation.
“ MOSTI firmly believes that fostering a robust and inclusive STEM talent pipeline requires coordinated efforts across all sectors,” Chang pointed out.
By aligning government, industry, and education under a shared vision, MOSTI is laying the groundwork for Malaysia’ s transformation into an innovation-driven nation.
Ultimately, this is not just about keeping up with global innovation trends, but about taking the lead in driving them. @ ND