PUTRAJAYA: Industry leaders and labour officials have urged Asean countries to accelerate efforts to equip workers with digital and green skills, warning that the region risks falling behind in the global transition.
Malaysian Skills Development Centre Federation chairman, Hallman Sabri, who is also Sarawak Skills executive director, said constant upskilling was essential for workers to remain relevant.
“Technologies keep changing – workers need to update themselves with current skills. We have to prepare our people to address these future trends.
“This is how we adapt,” he said during the Asean Green Jobs Forum 2025, titled “Labour Markets: Green Potential, Skill Needs and Just Transition Hotspots” here yesterday.
Hallman stressed the importance of grounding training in reliable evidence.
“We always forget to go back to the data when it should be a reference,” he said, adding that growth must be prepared with the community in mind.
“We want to know the demand and supply for the green jobs – we don’t have the data yet,” he added.
Philippines Labour and Employment undersecretary Carmela Torres, warned that 40% of the Asean workforce still lacked digital and green skills.
“When we create jobs, we must make sure no one is at a disadvantage,” she said.
Teterahedron Materials Science chief growth officer Pranav Bhanage said Asean had natural advantages to accelerate bioeconomy and renewable industries.
“The keyword here is transition. It’s the mindset that needs to change.
“Here (in Asean), solar is much more mature and faster than other technologies.
“Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia have natural advantages of bioeconomy because of the diversity of its forests. We have access to palm, and so on,” he said.
He noted that advances in renewable diesel – produced entirely from bio-waste and used cooking oil – mean it can serve as a direct substitute for conventional diesel in vehicles, without the need for blending or engine modifications.
At the “AI and Digital Skills for Green Innovation” session, panellists stressed the need to commit to inclusive strategies to ensure that technologies build sustainable futures rather than just corporate profits.
Dr Michele Sagan, a PwC Workforce Transformation director, noted that the pace of technological change is outstripping human capacity to adapt, raising the risk of a digital divide in the workplace.
She questioned whether AI would be used beyond efficiency gains, urging corporate leaders to focus on people and the planet.
“Is AI only here for productivity and efficiency or are we going to use it for other things like in green jobs?
“If corporate companies only focus on profits, then what about the planet, people? Are we going to create a sustainable future or just organisations?” she said.
Singapore Green Building Council chief executive Yvonne Soh highlighted widespread unease.
“Many people are anxious about job loss due to AI and sustainability. People are now worried about losing their jobs,” she said.
Managing Director of Claire Field and Associates managing director Claire Field stressed the importance of empowering employees.
“It’s about empowering workers to not be afraid that this technology is going to take their jobs.”
She added that without a shift in mindset, the adoption of AI risked becoming just another routine upgrade, even though the technology is capable of solving problems much more quickly.
