PENANG CAREER DISCOVERY DAY 2024 IN CONJUNCTION WITH INVESTPENANG GBS 2.5 TALK SERIES #2 “SPECIAL CHRO SESSION: TECHNOVATION: EMPOWERING HR FOR THE DIGITAL ERA”
KEYNOTE ADDRESS
BY YAB TUAN CHOW KON YEOW
THE CHIEF MINISTER OF PENANG
FOR PENANG CAREER DISCOVERY DAY 2024 IN CONJUNCTION WITH INVESTPENANG GBS 2.5 TALK SERIES #2
“SPECIAL CHRO SESSION: TECHNOVATION: EMPOWERING HR FOR THE DIGITAL ERA”
23 MAY 2024 (THURSDAY) | 8.45AM
ST. GILES HOTEL, GEORGE TOWN
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Yang Berhormat Tuan Zairil Khir Johari,
Penang State EXCO for Infrastructure, Transport and Digital
Dato’ Loo Lee Lian,
Chief Executive Officer of InvestPenang
Mr. Amar Chhajer,
Chairman GBS Focus Group Malaysia and Penang & Country Manager Malaysia, UST Malaysia
Distinguished Speakers and Panelists
Heads of Government agencies
Members of the media
Ladies and Gentlemen
Good morning to you all,
It gives me great pleasure to be present at this exciting event that brings together two sessions, conducted simultaneously. Namely, the Penang Career Discovery Day 2024 catered to students and the other for the HR practitioners, the GBS 2.5 Talk Series #2 titled “Special CHRO Session: Technovation: Empowering HR for the Digital Era”.
Penang has seen a proliferation of upstream technology-related investments in high value-added functions in recent years. Dubbed as the Silicon Valley of the East, it is pertinent that the State prepares to adopt the latest technologies and attract the next generation of talents to ensure this vibrant industrial ecosystem remains thriving in the long term.
Today’s event will showcase new technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Internet of Things (IoT) as part of digital transformation in an organization. HR plays an instrumental role in facilitating digitalisation in their respective companies and our future graduates must also be prepared to meet the expectations of new industrial demands.
Ladies & Gentlemen,
The manufacturing and services sectors remain Penang’s twin engines of growth. Penang’s gross domestic product (GDP) recorded the fastest growth among all states in 2022, with a 13 percent year-on-year increase to RM112 billion. Particularly, the services sector contributed to 46.7 percent of Penang’s GDP followed closely by the manufacturing sector at 46.3 percent.
Over the past five years (2019 – 2023), Penang has garnered nearly RM20 billion of approved investments in the services sector, accounting for 9 percent of the state’s total approved investments in the said years. The state hosts over 200 Malaysia Digital Status companies and within this space, a notable rise in interest within the semiconductor IC Design sector is being witnessed. Today, Penang is proud to house 18 out of 20 semiconductor IC Design companies nationwide.
With the digital economy expected to contribute 25.5 percent of the country’s GDP and create over 500,000 jobs by 2025, Penang is well-poised to play a prominent role in the national digitisation agenda, made possible by innovation and talent pool availability.
Ladies & gentlemen,
On May 4, I announced the state’s plan to establish the IC Design and Digital Park, cementing Penang’s ambition as a preferred investment destination for design and digital businesses and entrepreneurs. These state-of-the-art facilities will not only attract top-tier design and digital companies and startups but also create numerous opportunities for collaboration with universities and research institutions.
For our young students here, this development means access to cutting-edge technology and resources right here in Penang. The IC Design and Digital Park will serve as a hub for innovation, offering internships and job opportunities in high-technology fields such as semiconductor design, AI, IoT and other digital services. You will have the chance to work alongside prominent industry players, gaining practical experience crucial for your future careers.
Industry leaders have informed me that this sector is offering professional career opportunities, particularly in engineering, with competitive starting salaries from RM4,000 per month.
Therefore, to the future graduates here today, I strongly urge all of you to take this opportunity to connect and network with all the industry players present today to obtain valuable insights on how you can be part of Penang's growing digital ecosystem.
To the HR leaders, I encourage you to share existing job opportunities in your organizations and provide valuable advice for these future graduates. I also hope that today’s discussions will shed light on the technology priorities for HR. By optimizing existing systems and harnessing the power of AI, you can navigate the evolving landscape and create impactful strategies for your organizations.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Our talent remains one of the key differentiators for Penang, along with the availability of a robust industrial network. The State strives to ensure a sustainable talent pipeline to cater to industry demand.
With that, I would like to announce the establishment of Penang Chip Design Academy to support the State’s plan for the development of IC Design and Digital Park. The Academy is a key component of the Penang STEM Talent Blueprint which is set to be launched in June 2024.
This initiative will be led by Penang Skills Development Centre (PSDC) in collaboration with key industry players, Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tool providers, academia, and InvestPenang, focusing on end-to-end design development and aims to cultivate talent for the IC Design ecosystem through upskilling and reskilling with academic training and hands-on experience. I understand that plans are being finalized for opportunities for private-public funding mechanisms.
Recognising the urgency of digitalising Penang's industrial landscape and nurturing more talent for the digital economy, today's event aims to achieve dual objectives in a unified effort. The Penang State Government remains proactive in organizing initiatives to propel the state's industrialisation up the global value chain.
With that, kudos to InvestPenang for organizing these meaningful sessions. It is with sincere hope that through this session, more synergies, ideas, and efforts can be coordinated to further enhance digitalisation efforts in the State, at the same time, encourage new young talents to choose Penang as their career destination.
Thank you and I wish everyone a pleasant and productive event.