KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 11 — The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) will embark on developing training programmes related to MCMC Technical Codes and developing structured telecommunication courses.
Its chief operating officer, Datuk Mohd Ali Hanafiah Mohd Yunus, said the move will enhance the quality and reliability of Information and communications technology (ICT) services in the country.
“Within the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (CMA 1998), there are provisions that we (stakeholders) can develop together in industry technical codes which both consumers and the industry can use,” he said at the Capacity Development Conference 2023 (CDC23) today.
MCMC also fosters collaboration with the Manpower Department (JTM) to develop industry-driven Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programmes, which the Industrial Training Institute will adopt for telecommunication-related courses.
Meanwhile, issues on skilled and workforce readiness for telecommunication and information and communications technology (ICT) are not limited to Malaysia, as many countries also face potential shortages of skilled workforce, which may negatively impact a country’s economic growth and development effort.
Citing the International Data Corporation, Ali Hanafiah said around 60 to 80 per cent of Asia Pacific organisations find it difficult or extremely difficult to fill vacancies in many Information Technology (IT) roles, including security, developers, and data professionals.
“About 53 per cent of Asia Pacific organisations are taking three to four months longer compared to a year ago to fill technology roles,” he said.
On MCMC’s initiatives, there are presently 911 Digital Economy Centres (PEDi) accessible to many communities across the country, with over 25,000 PEDi entrepreneurs successfully undergoing training and onboarding to the digital economy.
Nearly RM4 million in research grants have been distributed under the previous Networked Media Research Collaboration Programme (NMRCP) and the current Digital Society Research Grant (DSRG) programme, generating over 50 completed research projects.
CDC23 is a two-day conference seeking to address, explore, and find solutions for the skill requirements and preparedness of the workforce in the telecommunications and ICT fields.
The conference also allows participants from various agencies like the government, industry players, private entities, and academia to share ideas, gain insights, connect, and foster collaboration in telecommunications and ICT industry capacity development.
— Bernama
