At the 2nd Annual Advanced Innovation & Manufacturing (AIM) Asia Week 2025, leaders from manufacturing, human capital, and government gathered to explore how talent strategies can drive the transition from Industry 4.0 to Industry 5.0. The panel discussion on “Developing Future-Ready Workforce for the Industry 5.0 Revolution”, moderated by Dato’ Seri Abdul Halim Hussain, Former Penang State Exco for Trade, Industry and Entrepreneur Development, brought together insights from:
- Deric Chew, HR Director, Lumileds Malaysia
- Clement Pang, IT Director, Micron Technology
- Nina Yassin, Chief People Officer, Human Capital, Ekuiti Nasional Berhad
- Azura Ahmad, Assistant Vice President, TalentCorp Northern Region.
Key points discussed include:
1. Aligning Policy, Industry, and Academia to Build Talent Pipelines
Azura Ahmad emphasized that nurturing Industry 5.0-ready talent requires collaboration across sectors. TalentCorp adopts a quadruple helix approach, linking government, industry, academia, and training providers to co-create programs that address skills gaps. She shared that Penang, already home to IC design players such as Oppstar and Infinix, is well-positioned under Malaysia’s National Semiconductor Strategy to expand advanced packaging and design capabilities. Initiatives like MyMahir Future Skills Talent Council are upskilling graduates, providing certifications, and improving employability in high-value industries.
2. Building Human-Centric Organizations in the Age of AI
Nina Yassin of Ekuinas noted that while Malaysia is moving toward Industry 5.0, many mid-sized enterprises are still catching up on digital readiness. Ekuinas works closely with portfolio companies to strengthen organizational capabilities through process improvement and leadership development. She stressed that transformation must be championed by CEOs and management teams—not siloed under IT or HR—and that human-centric leadership is about aligning technology adoption with purpose and people impact.
3. From Upskilling to ROI: Data-Driven Workforce Transformation
Clement Pang shared how Micron equips over 50,000 employees globally with AI literacy using low-code/no-code tools and AI copilots. These empower employees to automate workflows and boost productivity, while data-driven insights track hours saved and cost efficiency. By measuring returns through metrics such as chatbot adoption and code-generation speed, Micron ensures that talent transformation yields tangible business value. Clement emphasized that creativity remains key: “AI can provide answers, but humans must ask the right questions.”
4. Humanizing Technology Across All Workforce Levels
From the manufacturing floor, Deric Chew discussed Lumileds Malaysia’s efforts to “humanise AI.” Beyond engineers, supervisors and technicians are trained to use digital tools responsibly. Lumileds launched certification programs with universities to validate frontline skills through real factory scenarios. “Technology should complement, not define us,” Deric explained. “We teach our people to humanize AI, to make it their own.”
5. Collective Action for Industry 5.0 Talent Readiness
The panel agreed that Industry 5.0 success requires ecosystem-wide collaboration. Universities must modernize curricula in step with industry needs, while employers should value skills as much as credentials.
Charting the Path Forward
In closing, the speakers shared a unified vision for Malaysia’s future-ready workforce. Deric Chew called for openness to change and continuous learning, describing that “the sky is the limit.” Clement Pang emphasized adaptability across generations as technology evolves. Nina Yassin urged breaking away from traditional mindsets and embracing new modes of collaboration, while Azura Ahmad highlighted the importance of inclusivity, ensuring no one is left behind. Together, they reaffirmed that building a future-ready workforce is not just about adopting technology but empowering people to innovate, adapt, and thrive in the Industry 5.0 era.
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