This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on August 15, 2019

KUALA LUMPUR: About seven in 10 workers across Malaysia are concerned about not receiving the necessary training for jobs of the future, according to Skillsoft’s new study.

The corporate learning services provider said its study found a majority of employees feel under-skilled and worried their employers will not support them to meet future job requirements.

In the comprehensive study of 750 workers about their readiness for the future of work, 90% of respondents cited the need to learn a new skill in 2019 to remain confident in their jobs.

Around 73% of respondents are concerned about not receiving the learning, development and training required from their organisations to remain employable and skilled in future, while 19% are very concerned, said Skillsoft.

On average, Skillsoft said surveyed employees received learning, development and training three times in 2018 from their organisations for new skills for their jobs.

However, 81% reported that their organisations could provide more training, learning and upskilling opportunities, while only 13% of those receiving training last year rated this as excellent, where nothing could have been improved upon.

“We are quite shocked by the level of concern and unpreparedness among employees,” said Skillsoft regional director for Asia-Pacific Rosie Cairnes. “Training, learning and development are critical to technology-enabled workplaces, yet many Malaysian organisations are failing to deliver enough. This is not just a ‘future’ problem; it is happening now.”

Skillsoft said 94% of respondents surveyed say their roles are being changed due to digital transformation — with 41% reporting their roles being digitally transformed, and 53% stating their roles having a slight digital transformation.

However, employees said the training is not keeping pace, with 85% saying they would like their organisations to be more on trend with the training they provide.

Skillsoft noted 48% of employees would like to receive learning, development and training opportunities online through eLearning courses, while 51% are interested in training via micro-learning.

Further, 83% of respondents agreed that the future of work is nothing without training, learning and development.

The survey also showed 87% of respondents believing when a new role needs to be filled in their organisations, employers look externally instead of internally because they have failed to put in place an appropriate learning and development programme to upskill their people.

About 35% of them reported that roles are filled with external employees all or most of the time, said Skillsoft.