Industrial Revolution 4 requires more investments to nurture workforce of the future: Madius

PUTRAJAYA: The arrival of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) requires more investments in nurturing the workforce of the future, particularly in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, said Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau.
Madius said having the best technologies or the fastest Internet connnection would be meaningless if the country did not have the right talent to harness them.
He said the workforce of 2050 would be made up of today's Generation Z, the post-millennials and generation alpha comprising those born from 2010 onwards.
"When they enter the workforce, spatial cognition, robotics and artificial intelligence would be common place.
"To ensure that we will not get lost in trail of followers, the right quality and quantity of talent must be engaged, developed and deployed effectively," he said at the opening of Asean 2050 Forum: Fourth Industrial Revolution here today.
In the context of Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean), Madius hoped that member countries could also share their visions towards 2050, which could be a basis to shape the association's long-term vision.
"In this spirit I hope we can form an Asean Foresight Alliance to spearhed this initiative," he said.
Moving forward together, Madius said, Asean members must realise that science, technology and innovation (STI) are the drivers of the new economy.
"STI spurs the creation of new businesses, new jobs and drives productivity, at a pace and on a scale that are unprecedented.
"The future potential is significant. If we get it right, Asean will have a bright future," he said.
During the event, Madius also launched a report, 'Envisioning Malaysia 2050: A Foresight Narrative', produced by the Academy of Sciences Malaysia.
The report aims to provide input towards building a strategic vision for Malaysia towards 2050. — Bernama