Microsoft, alongside the Digital Ministry, announced the launch of our own Microsoft Elevate. This comes as part of the national AI capacity building initiative to strengthen AI readiness, as part of the country’s AI Nation 2030 ambitions. This is also in partnership with the National AI Office (NAIO), Sekretariat Majlis TVET Negara alongside Biji-biji Initiative & Mereka.
The program aims to broaden the scope of the nation’s AI skilling agenda. This means getting AI-related skills to a broader segment of society. Which, in turn, involves the coordinated effort involving multiple ministries and agencies across segments of society, including those mentioned above. In general, this encompasses five sectors, including students, educators and learning institutions; micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs); as well as retired servicemen and women.
To elaborate, young Malaysians from kindergarten all the way up to secondary school students, and those in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions beyond, will obtain foundational and applied AI skills to match real-world needs. But for that to happen, the educators and heads of those institutions will not only need to gain those skills, but also the skills to impart them and incorporate AI in the teaching process.
Then there’s the MSME sector, which will receive “targeted AI literacy and productivity training” to adopt AI tools to help run their businesses. This includes using them in aspects of business operations, as well as customer engagement to increase their competitiveness. Finally, for the retired servicemen and women transitioning into civilian life, the program will impart AI skills to help them continue to be contributing members of society.
Worth mentioning that Malaysia is the third country in the month of April to see the launch of its own Microsoft Elevate program. For context, Microsoft also launched the Elevate For Educators program in Singapore and Australia. The program itself was first announced last year.
