Auto industry to provide 30,000 new jobs in 2018

KUALA LUMPUR: The automotive industry is expected to offer almost 30,000 new jobs in the country this year.
Minister of International Trade and Industry (MITI) Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed said this is due to the growth of the automotive industry, especially in the parts and component making sector.
"Since the NAP2014(National Automotive Policy 2014) was announced, 27,125 jobs were created as at December 2017.
"This signifies the increasing perception that the automotive industry is a sector of career choice for school leavers and graduates, with 29,641 new jobs expected to be created in 2018," Mustapa said when briefing the media about the updates of the Automotive Industry in 2017 and Outlook in 2018 held at his office here.
He added this is because the MAI2014 has developed a certified human capital programme which allows for faster penetration of skills into the industry.
Mustapa added the MAI2014 also managed to address the pertinent issue of foreign worker replacement among industry players in the country.
"Some 23,444 foreign workers were replaced since the introduction of MAI2014.
"Although we don't deny that we still need their service, the important thing is we managed to address this issue and we can all look forward from here," he said.
Mustapa said the Malaysian Automotive Institute (MAI), which is an agency under his ministry, saw an increase of 7.1% exports for parts and components this year.
He said the production of Energy Efficient Vehicles (EEV) has increased by 24.6% (from 247,912 units in 2016 to 308,807 units in 2017) while the EEV penetration in the country has increased by 9.2% (from 42.8% in 2016 to 52% in 2017).
Meanwhile, Mustapa also launched the Malaysian Autoshow 2018 which will be held at the Malaysian Agro Exposition Park Serdang ( MAEPS) from 26 to 29 April this year.
The theme of this year's auto show is "360degree Mobility Experience" which will feature a deeper experimental immersion for visitors in the area of intelligent mobility and transportation systems.