18-8-2024 (KUALA LUMPUR) Malaysia is poised to become South-East Asia’s premier data centre hub, with rapid expansion in the Klang Valley and Johor driving significant economic growth and creating a wealth of job opportunities across multiple sectors. As the nation gears up for a substantial increase in revenue from the data centre industry, experts predict a surge in specialised roles and a boost to related industries.
The Malaysian data centre industry is projected to generate RM3.6 billion in revenue next year, marking a considerable increase from RM2.09 billion in 2022. This growth is expected to spark a flurry of job creation, particularly in engineering and management fields.
Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) chief executive officer Mahadhir Aziz highlighted the far-reaching impact of this expansion, stating, “The growth of data centres in Malaysia is poised to generate significant indirect job opportunities across various sectors, including manufacturing, construction and logistics.”
Mahadhir emphasised the engineering-centric nature of data centres, noting that a diverse range of engineering roles will be required throughout different phases of development. These include positions in civil, electrical, cooling, mechanical, fire mitigation, and physical security engineering. Additionally, the operational phase will see an uptick in facilities and data centre management roles to ensure smooth and sustainable operations.
The ripple effect of this boom extends beyond the tech sector, with the manufacturing industry set to benefit from increased demand for materials, components, and technology essential for data centre construction and maintenance.
Global tech giants have taken notice of Malaysia’s potential, with companies like Google, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Microsoft proposing plans to develop cloud computing infrastructure in the country. AWS, in particular, is considering a long-term investment of up to US$6 billion (RM26.6 billion) through to 2037.
The government has shown strong support for this growth, with Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching revealing that RM76 billion worth of data centre-related investments had been approved by the Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry via the Malaysian Investment Development Authority from 2021 to March 2024.
Beyond technical roles, the data centre industry is also creating opportunities in non-technical fields such as human resources, finance, project management, and environment, health, and safety. Senior management positions, client services, customer training, sales and marketing, public policy, and corporate affairs are also in demand.
To meet the future demand for skilled labour in the data centre and related manufacturing sectors, Mahadhir stressed the crucial role of Malaysia’s education and vocational training institutions. He called for collaboration between these institutions and industry players to ensure curricula remain current and anticipate future trends, creating a robust talent pipeline to support the sector’s rapid expansion.
