KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 14): About seven in 10 workers across Malaysia are concerned about not receiving the necessary training required for jobs in the future, according to a new study by Skillsoft.

The corporate learning services provider said its study found that 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 said they would need to learn a new skill in 2019 to remain confident in their role.

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

On average, Skillsoft said surveyed employees received learning, development and training from their organisation for new skills on their job role three times in 2018.

However, 81% report their organisation could provide more training, learning and upskilling opportunities, while only 13% of those who received training last year rated this as excellent, where nothing could have been improved.

"We are quite shocked by the level of concern and unpreparedness among employees," said Skillsoft's regional director for Asia Pacific, Rosie Cairnes. "Training, learning and development is 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 role is being changed due to digital transformation — with 41% reporting their role is being digitally transformed, and 53% stating their role is having a slight digital transformation.

But employees say the training is not keeping pace, with 85% saying they would like their organisation to be more on trend with the training they provide.

Skillsoft noted that almost half (48%) of employees would like to receive learning, development and training opportunities online through eLearning courses, while over half (51%) are interested in receiving training via microlearning.

Furthermore, 83% of the respondents agree the future of work is nothing without training, learning and development.

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

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