“The Covid-19 pandemic made us realise how uncertain our future can be. I don’t think anyone expected the world could change so suddenly,” he said at a conference today.
Tengku Zafrul said it was a much tougher world for graduates now compared to the “roaring 1990s” when he graduated. There were a lot of job opportunities then, but life was now more competitive with the world changing rapidly.
“In the past, we never thought of doing something on our own, now we must. Now it’s not just about getting jobs but doing things on your own,” he said at a virtual conference on bridging the skills gap organised by Minds for Malaysia.
He said while adaptability was vital for the younger generation, they should also look at charting their own path.
“In this world, we cannot be scared to take on new challenges. It’s not about failing but the ability to get up once you fail. That’s even more important. At a young age you can afford to fail.”
Higher education minister Noraini Ahmad said Malaysian students must prepare themselves for the workforce by reskilling and upskilling to remain competitive in the job market.
Solving the skills shortage
Tengku Zafrul, speaking in Penang earlier today, said the government would work to resolve the shortage of skilled manpower in manufacturing.
“This is the issue that we must address if we want to attract foreign investment,” he said. “{Investors} are here not because of the right incentives, but because of the people and the talent and skilled workforce that they can get in Malaysia.”
He said the finance ministry would continue to work with the human resources ministry, the higher education ministry, the International trade and industry ministry and the Malaysian Investment Development Authority on resolving the shortage of skilled manpower.
Tengku Zafrul had visited the Intel Malaysia plant in Penang and held pre-Budget discussions with leaders of the electrical and electronics industry.
“As of September this year, the federal government has spent almost RM10 billion for Penang, which has benefited 655,000 residents and 106,000 businesses in the state,” he said.