- TVET system hampered by limited tertiary institutions and students discovering accreditation too late
- 106,000 MBOT professionals report wage gains but face employer misconceptions limiting career progression
Malaysia’s recent leap to 25th position in the IMD World Talent Ranking 2025 — up eight spots and fifth in Asia-Pacific — masks a troubling reality. Many certified technology professionals remain undervalued by employers who fail to recognise their credentials.
This disconnect emerged as a central theme at the Malaysian Board of Technologists’ (MBOT) third Expert Network in Technology, Innovation and Cooperative event (ENTICE) on Sept 30, which also marked the organisation’s 10th anniversary.
A joint study by MBOT and Khazanah Research Institute (KRI), titled ‘Badges of Progress: A Study on Technology and Technical Talent Development in Malaysia’, reveals that despite promising wage improvements and enhanced technical confidence among certified members, only one-fifth report tangible career progression.
“Many employers still misunderstand or underappreciate MBOT titles, hindering the formal integration of the recognition into human resource decisions,” the report states.
Recognition without reward
Since launching membership registration in 2017, MBOT has registered over 106,000 members across four categories: Professional Technologist (Ts.), Certified Technician (Tc.), Graduate Technologist (GT), and Qualified Technician (QT). The organisation has accredited more than 700 programmes in higher learning institutions nationwide.
The KRI study, based on responses from 2,041 MBOT members, shows that professional recognition does deliver measurable benefits. Over half reported wage improvements, with the 40-49 age group showing the most significant gains — Professional Technologists earning an average of RM11,759 compared to RM7,906 for Graduate Technologists.
More than 75% of Professional Technologists and Certified Technicians report greater technical confidence and motivation for high-skilled roles, while over 60% cite access to better jobs and progression opportunities.
However, the gap between certification and career advancement remains stark. The primary culprit: employer misconceptions, particularly in the private sector where MBOT titles are often dismissed as merely honorary.
“Recognition uptake tends to be reactive, with many only recognising its value post-graduation, particularly early-career professionals, women and those in low-wage sectors,” the report notes.
Discovered too late
Perhaps most concerning is the timing of awareness. Over 40% of students only discovered their programme was MBOT-accredited after graduation, undermining accreditation’s intended function as a proactive career planning tool.
According to Wan Amirah Wan Usamah, Research Associate at Khazanah Research Institute (KRI), MBOT’s accreditation process currently happens more on the back-end.
“It is because for those who are entitled to enter MBOT’s graduate technologists or qualified technicians certification programs, they are offered the opportunity to sign up as a membership, and that’s where a lot of the initial contact starts,” explained Wan Amirah Wan Usamah, Research Associate at KRI..
“We highlight visibility a lot in our recommendations, as MBOT-accredited programs operate more on the back end. Institutions promoting this accreditation can inform incoming students about it,” she added.
TVET’s structural constraints
The challenges extend beyond recognition to the fundamental structure of Malaysia’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system.
While Malaysia boasts over 1,000 TVET institutions, tertiary options remain limited. Most institutions focus on lower-level certifications, with only a minority offering tertiary-level qualifications, restricting graduates’ ability to develop advanced skills.
“T&T talents are underutilised in lower-skilled roles and field mismatches. The future economy demands new T&T talent strategies, but legacy fields continue to dominate the T&T graduate pipeline with limited course diversification,” said Dr Suraya Ismail, Director of Research at KRI.
Geographic distribution further compounds the problem. Most TVET institutions are concentrated in Malaysia’s central region, with 300 institutions in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur alone. Petaling leads with 103 institutions, followed by KL with 86.
While industrial hubs like Kulim and Pekan have benefited from targeted TVET offerings aligned with local manufacturing strengths, regions like Sabah and Sarawak lack access to specialised, future-oriented courses in high-growth sectors. This geographic mismatch reduces graduate employability and undermines regional development goals.
The brain drain factor
The talent development challenges are exacerbated by brain drain. MBOT President Dr. Siti Hamisah Tapsir noted that Malaysia’s brain drain rate stands at 5.7%, nearly double the global average of 3%.
“We need more technology developers and creators so that they will be used internationally,” she said.
Dr Suraya added: “For our nation’s labour, it is not the problem of the university or the educational sector, it is a problem of the market not being able to absorb the talent that we have.”
Renewed commitment to STEM
Against this backdrop, the government is intensifying efforts to strengthen the STEM pipeline. Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang revealed that since 2024, MOSTI has organised STEM Camps across 86 programmes in 415 schools, benefiting over 14,500 students.
The ministry’s STI 100³ initiative has involved 233 scientists and schools over three cycles, reaching more than 77,000 students, teachers and communities.
However, grassroots engagement remains patchy. “While most STEM professionals encourage children toward STEM, MBOT studies show only 18.8% do so very actively, with nearly 20% rarely or never engaging,” Chang said.
New initiatives and partnerships
To address these challenges, MOSTI announced two new initiatives: the MBOT Student Chapter Summit 2025, a national tech-camp for students in technology and technical fields, and an academic excellence award to recognise top graduating students from each MBOT-accredited course.
MBOT has also established a partnership with the British Computer Society (BCS) to elevate global recognition of Malaysian Professional Technologists and Certified Technicians, aligning local qualifications with international standards.
The organisation has also established the Technologist and Technician Professional Development Council to ensure quality assurance and certification standards for short-term courses, with 82 approved programmes currently under the council.
“We work closely with other agencies such as Human Resource Development Corporation (HRDC), Pertubuhan Keselamatan Sosial (PERKESO) and Jabatan Pembangunan Kemahiran (JPK) as this adds value to the talent development ecosystem,” said Dr Siti Hamisah.
The challenge ahead is clear: translating Malaysia’s improved talent ranking into genuine career opportunities for its certified technology professionals requires not just better credentials, but a fundamental shift in how employers recognise and value them.
Click here to access the full report.
