JOHOR BARU, July 21 — The Johor government has proposed the establishment of a one-stop agency, the Johor Talent Development Council (JTDC), to target key talent groups and drive the state’s development goals towards becoming a developed state by 2030. Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi highlighted that JTDC aims to address the state’s demand for skilled manpower and align with the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ).
Since January 1, Johor has seen a rapid increase in job vacancies, with 74,710 positions advertised but only 51,946 applicants recorded. Onn Hafiz noted a significant skills mismatch, with 22.3% of graduates working in unrelated fields and 20% to 60% of vocational graduates employed outside their areas of study. JTDC will serve as a liaison between higher education institutes and industries, focusing on talent development, skill improvement, and direct career placement, ultimately aiming to enhance the marketability of graduates and meet industry needs in Johor and Malaysia.
