BAYAN LEPAS, December 17 – Penang is reinforcing its appeal as the go-to investment destination for the Global Business Services (GBS) industry through the Penang GBS Industry Academy (PGIA), launched on December 8, 2022. Managed by InvestPenang, PGIA acts as a collaborative initiative involving the private sector, government bodies, and academia to bridge the talent gap and enhance the readiness of GBS professionals.
The recent 4th quarter roundtable session, spearheaded by InvestPenang CEO Dato Loo Lee Lian on December 12, 2023, focused on industry outlook, PGIA’s 2023 training progress, and strategic plans for 2024, aiming to establish a robust talent pipeline for sustainable growth in the dynamic digital economy. In response to the surge in digitalization, PGIA has conducted 23 courses over the past year, training 524 participants. The academy concentrates on upskilling and re-skilling in technical skillsets, management, and soft skills to empower the existing GBS workforce.
Penang is positioning itself as a leading GBS destination with a targeted talent development strategy, in alignment with Malaysia’s Digital Economy Blueprint. PGIA plans to sustain its engagement with industry players through workshops and conferences, focusing on high-value GBS activities such as engineering, IT, data analytics, generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI), and environmental, social, and governance (ESG). The academy also aims to enhance collaboration with Institutes of Higher Learning (IHL) through GBS Career Days on campuses and networking sessions, further solidifying Penang’s status as a thriving GBS hub for sustainable growth.
