KUALA LUMPUR (May 30): The employment growth trend looks positive for Malaysia this year, with the manufacturing and construction industry boom a key contributor to this trend, said Kelly Services.

The stabilisation of the economy is also seen to foster growth in the banking and finance sector.

In its Malaysia Salary Guide for 2018/19 launched today, the recruitment specialist said the growth will impact the increase in demand for high skilled talent, as local companies seek to expand beyond home and multinationals look for a pathway into the Southeast Asian market.

"The demand for highly skilled employees will compound as we move towards an increasingly digital future. 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," Kelly Services Malaysia's deputy country head Brian Sim said in a statement today.

It said corporate and investment bankers will be one of the most demanded positions in the banking sector in 2018, attracting one of highest salaries across all sectors.

Employment prospects in the property and construction industry are also expected to remain promising for specialists in the current year, as property values recover and the construction industry rides the wave of development.