On 8th May, SME Association of Malaysia participated in a youth employment dialogue organised  by the National Career Development Centre Association Malaysia (NACDA) and KABEL. The event brought together representatives from the government, various employer associations, educational institutions, and student associations to discuss challenges and solutions to increase high-skilled job opportunities for youth in the country.

During the dialogue, Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, YB Liew Chin Tong, highlighted the critical need for digitalisation and high-skilled labour to transform Malaysia into a high-productivity, high-income nation. He urged stakeholders to think critically about the real situation and engage in open conversations to find collaborative solutions.

SME Association is fully committed to this initiative and plans to work collaboratively with educational institutions and students to promote high-skilled job opportunities for youth. To achieve this, the SME Talent team has organised weekly workshops for members on recruitment and branding with Gen Z Talent, with more programs in the pipeline to help members engage with the pool of fresh graduates.

SME Association strongly encourages all SMEs to participate in more engagement sessions with students and work on building employer branding. This will enable SMEs to remain competitive in attracting top talent, which is essential for building sustainable businesses and contributing to the economy’s growth.

Stay tuned and we hope that SME members take an active role in this exciting initiative!