“It is important that Malaysian professionals are in sync with the requirements of key economic sectors to ensure that they remain attractive candidates as employees in the future.”
BRIAN SIM, Kelly Services Malaysia deputy country head
KUALA LUMPUR: Manufacturing and construction industry boom will be a key contributor to positive employment growth for Malaysia while a stable economy will foster growth in the banking and finance sectors, according to Kelly Services in its Malaysia Salary Guide for 2018/19.
The report indicates that this growth will lead the increase in demand for high-skilled talent as local companies seek to expand beyond home and multinationals look for a pathway to the Southeast Asian market.
“Withstanding the uncertainty of ringgit and regulation changes, the banking and financial services sector was expected to remain healthy this year.”
Corporate and investment banker positions would be two of the most demanded this year, attracting one of the highest salaries across all sectors, it said.
Meanwhile, Kelly Services said Malaysia would need about 200,000 engineers to meet the demands of employers — three times more than the 70,000 registered engineers now. “With the Rolls-Royce aerospace component manufacturing plant in Serendah, the sector is expected to grow by 5.3 per cent this year.
“Similarly, roles such as the head of production and quality assurance will be in high demand going forward,” it said.
The salary guide identifies key sectors to spur the employment landscape as manufacturing, banking and construction sectors, which will drive employment opportunities and possibly, higher salaries.
“The demand for highly-skilled employees will compound as we move towards an increasingly digital future. It is important that Malaysian professionals are insync with requirements of key economic sectors to ensure they remain attractive candidates as employees in the future,” said deputy country head Brian Sim.
He said Talentcorp has been spearheading talent development in Malaysia, helping bridge the gap between graduates and industry needs through their training programmes.
“This had enabled Malaysia fall within the top seven in the world in terms of employee training, according to the World Talent Report in 2016. “The current period of instability will subside and we will move on towards the path of a high-income nation,” he said.
Kelly Services said although the Education Ministry stated that 77.3 per cent of graduates gained employment within their first six months, the salary guide has identified a misalignment between the talent supply and the demand in some key sectors.
“Due to the changing regulatory requirements and technological advancement, jobs such as corporate bankers and senior accountants, while being among the most demanded jobs this year, will face new challenges moving forward,” it said.