Malaysia requires more engineers to help the country achieve UNSDG and build a sustainable future, according to the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation (Mosti).
Malaysia requires more engineers to help the country achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG) and build a sustainable future, according to the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation (Mosti).
According to the Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM), 187,900 engineers were officially registered in the country last year, with the engineer-to-population ratio standing at 1:170, compared to 1:100 in developed countries such as Germany and France.
“The numbers show that there is still a high demand for engineers in Malaysia in its efforts to become a technology exporting country,” the ministry said in a statement issued in conjunction with the World Engineering Day 2023 celebrations, which were officiated by Science, Technology, and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang and organised by the Malaysian Research Accelerator for Technology and Innovation (Mranti) under the theme Engineering Possibilities.
Mranti’s chief executive officer, who was present at the celebrations, stated that Mranti supported efforts to promote engineering as a viable career option and to encourage young people to consider the opportunities and careers available in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).
Mranti also has MakersLab community innovation centres where innovators can gather and exchange ideas, as well as conduct experiments to boost local inventions and innovations. “STEM workshop activities in renewable energy, coding, and robotics are available, as well as Industry Simulation Design certification and 3D printing innovation courses,” he explained.
A statutory body that represents the engineering industry in Malaysia was established in 1972 and is called the Board of Engineers Malaysia. As of 2016, it had about 101,478 members in Malaysia who were either engineers or had a particular interest in the field. The institution wants to improve the standing of engineers and those who work in the industry.
The Registration of Engineers Act of 1967 authorised the establishment of BEM, which is managed by Malaysia’s Ministry of Works. The institute is in charge of keeping track of graduate and professional engineers’ registrations.