Experts are urging the Malaysian education system to prioritize early-years STEM education to address the critical shortage of engineers and high-skilled labor in the country. According to Mas Sahidayana, the director of the University of Malaya’s STEM Centre, STEM skills should be cultivated from preschool with the collaboration of parents, teachers, government, and learning institutions to prevent future labor shortages.
Despite various stakeholders’ efforts, enrollment rates for secondary Form 4 students in STEM A and B streams remain significantly low. In 2023, only 16.64% of students opted for STEM A, while just 5.43% chose STEM B. This imbalance in higher education applications has led to twice as many students selecting arts over sciences.
The President of the Malaysian Association of Engineers, Datuk Ts Feroz Hanif Mohamed Ahmad, noted that even among students who enroll in engineering programs, the dropout rate can be high due to the challenging coursework. The aging engineering workforce, rapid technological advancements, and industry-specific demands are contributing to the skills gap.
To address these challenges, educational institutions, industries, and governments must collaborate to enhance STEM education, provide continuous professional development, and create attractive working conditions for engineers. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has emphasized the need to address Malaysia’s significant engineering expert shortage, currently estimated at 30,000.
As Malaysia embraces artificial intelligence to drive efficiency and improve standards of living, the employment market is evolving, with a demand for banking, healthcare, engineering, IT, digital marketing, and management professionals. Efforts to train and retain skilled STEM teachers, provide quality education, and encourage student interest in these fields are crucial for addressing the nation’s engineering labor shortage.
