KOTA KINABALU, March 26 (Bernama) — Students and graduates in the country are urged to prepare themselves with various knowledge and skills to meet the needs of the job market in the Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR 4.0), said Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sabah, Tun Juhar Mahiruddin.
Tun Juhar, who is also Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) chancellor, said the job market in IR 4.0 needs individuals who are highly skilled and creative, therefore, students or graduates must be prepared for the change to meet the current situation and needs.
“At the same time, we need especially the next generation as well as the public as a whole to be ready and not be marginalised in the era of globalisation and digitalisation,” he said when delivering his message in a video recording in conjunction with the 22nd UMS Convocation ceremony at the university’s Dewan Canselor here today.
Therefore, he said, online learning is a new paradigm shift that is important in education at this time bringing us nearer to IR 4.0 framework.
The Sabah governor said this is evident when COVID-19 hit as the learning method in the primary school level to tertiary level shifted to online learning and digital technology.
“I believe UMS has structured some of its current learning to suit the paradigm shift towards digital technology in education, and I also believe that graduates here will be human capital who will fully utilise digital technology,” he added.
Meanwhile, Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Hajiji Noor when speaking at the same event said the state government was trying to strengthen the digital economy network in Sabah’s urban and rural areas in facing the IR 4.0.
The UMS pro-chancellor said the adaptation towards the technology transition is expected to happen faster post-COVID-19, with demand for labour-focused jobs expected to decline in the future, following increased demand for jobs leading to the use of new technologies and skills.
“The Industrial Revolution 4.0 transition has changed a big portion of the labour force landscape worldwide including in Sabah where various industries want to capitalise on the development of the digital market, and this digital transformation has also seen a high demand for workers with digital skills.
“The future employment landscape will be borderless, and this will provide opportunities to overcome physical, social and geographic problems,” he also said.
He added that UMS had been entrusted by the Sabah government to be the coordinator of the Sabah Centre of Excellence which acted as the main driver to enable education and technology development activities to be implemented holistically, to support the digital economy sector.
Source: BERNAMA News Agency