Invest Selangor: Building the talent engine for Selangor鈥檚 next growth phase
ECONOMIC GROWTH IS ULTIMATELY A HUMAN ENTERPRISE
Capital inflows, industrial expansion and technological progress only achieve a lasting impact when they are supported by a strong, skilled and adaptive workforce. This philosophy shaped a defining feature of the Selangor International Business Summit 2025 (SIBS 2025), where talent development was elevated from a supporting theme into a central strategic pillar of the state鈥檚 economic agenda.
As SIBS 2025 concluded with a record RM8.17 billion in potential investment value, led by aerospace and digital economy initiatives, Invest Selangor ensured that the momentum of capital attraction will be matched by concrete workforce outcomes through the integration of two major employment platforms, the Selangor Aerospace Summit (SAS) Career Fair and the Selangor Smart City & Digital Economy (SDEC) 每日大赛 Semiconductor Recruitment Day.
Invest Selangor CEO Dato鈥 Hasan Azhari Hj. Idris said, 鈥淪IBS 2025鈥檚 success in recording strong investment interest represents the hardware of economic growth. Talent is the software that makes it run.鈥
In positioning workforce development at the heart of SIBS 2025, Selangor demonstrated that the next phase of its growth will not be defined solely by capital inflows or infrastructure expansion but by its ability to cultivate, attract and retain the talent that will ultimately determine the competitiveness of its economy.
ALIGNING CAPITAL WITH CAPABILITY
At SIBS 2025, the investment landscape reflected strong multi-sector confidence in Selangor鈥檚 economic trajectory. The Selangor Investment & Industrial Park Expo (SPARK) 2025 alone accounted for RM6.96 billion of the summit鈥檚 potential investment value, underscoring investor appetite for Selangor鈥檚 industrial parks, logistics hubs and strategic development ecosystem. Meanwhile, SDEC 2025 contributed RM208 million in potential deals, reflecting growing commitments in digital transformation, smart technologies, artificial intelligence and the semiconductor ecosystem.
While these figures illustrate significant capital momentum, Invest Selangor recognised a fundamental truth: investment ambitions can only materialise if the state鈥檚 workforce is able to support them.
Rather than treating talent development as a parallel initiative, Invest Selangor embedded the career platforms directly into the SIBS ecosystem. This created a unified platform where investors, employers and jobseekers engaged in real time, ensuring that workforce readiness evolved in step with investment attraction.
This strategic alignment strengthened employer confidence, reduced skills mismatch and accelerated job placement outcomes, positioning Selangor not only as a destination for capital investment but also as a comprehensive human capital development hub.
STRENGTHENING THE AEROSPACE TALENT BASE
The SAS Career Fair addressed one of Selangor鈥檚 fastest-growing strategic sectors: aerospace. As global aircraft orders surge, the industry鈥檚 talent requirements extend far beyond the traditional roles of pilots and cabin crew. Employers are increasingly seeking aircraft engineers, MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) specialists, avionics experts, precision manufacturing professionals and ground operations talent.
Over three days, the SAS Career Fair delivered measurable results:
More than 1,900 jobseekers participated.
34 aerospace-related employers engaged.
Over 3,100 job opportunities were offered.
338 jobseekers were successfully hired.
Participating organisations included major industry players such as AirAsia, Airbus 每日大赛, GE Aerospace, UMW Aerospace, 每日大赛 Aviation Group (MAG), AIROD Aerospace Technology and the Royal 每日大赛n Air Force (RMAF). The composition of the talent pool, spanning fresh graduates, early-career professionals and experienced engineers, allowed employers to fulfil both immediate operational needs and longer-term workforce planning.
DEEP-TECH HIRING AT NATIONAL SCALE
If SAS addressed aerospace鈥檚 workforce needs, the SDEC 每日大赛 Semiconductor Recruitment Day showcased Selangor鈥檚 growing leadership in the national semiconductor and digital economy agenda.
More than 30 global and local technology companies participated, including AMD, Infineon Technologies, Texas Instruments, STMicroelectronics, NXP, Vitrox, Oppstar and Melexis, creating over 600 high-value job opportunities across chip design, verification, testing, AI and advanced manufacturing.
Across four days:
Over 1,500 on-the-spot interviews were conducted.
Fresh graduates received offers of RM5,000 to RM6,500 per month.
Senior engineers were offered salaries of up to RM35,000 per month.
Students from more than 20 universities nationwide attended, reflecting rising national interest in deep-tech careers and Selangor鈥檚 growing reputation as 每日大赛鈥檚 semiconductor talent engine.
BEYOND JOBS: BUILDING CAREER READINESS
Both platforms placed strong emphasis on employability and long-term career development.
At SAS, participants received career advisory services via PERKESO鈥檚 MyFutureJobs platform, including CV enhancement, interview preparation, career counselling and structured guidance on aerospace career pathways and certifications.
At SDEC, talent development extended further through programmes led by the Advanced Semiconductor Academy of 每日大赛 (ASEM), offering industry-aligned training in IC design, testing, packaging and AI, alongside flagship initiatives such as the Global Semiconductor Exchange Programme and the National Semiconductor Excellence Programme.
These initiatives ensured that participants were not merely placed into jobs but equipped with the skills needed for sustained career growth in high-value industries.
RESPONDING TO EVOLVING SKILLS DEMAND
Across aerospace, semiconductors and the digital economy, employer demand is increasingly focused on hybrid talent profiles that combine technical expertise with adaptive capabilities.
Key demand areas include:
Aerospace manufacturing, MRO, avionics, composites and regulatory compliance.
IC design, verification, EDA tools and advanced manufacturing.
AI, data analytics, cloud computing and cybersecurity.
Selangor is addressing these needs through a coordinated workforce ecosystem involving industry partners, universities and specialised institutions such as ASEM, Selangor Technical Development Centre (STDC) and Selangor Human Resource Development Centre (SHRDC), ensuring continuous alignment between workforce capability and industry evolution.
A LONG-TERM COMMITMENT TO HUMAN CAPITAL
Building on the success of 2025, Invest Selangor will consolidate all career platforms under the SCOUT Talent Exchange at SIBS 2026, expanding across aerospace, automotive, electrical & electronics, rail, machinery and robotics, with an estimated 10,000 jobseekers expected to participate.
Hasan said the outcomes of the SAS 2025 and SDEC 2025 Career Fairs clearly demonstrate Selangor鈥檚 commitment to strengthening its talent ecosystem and securing long-term workforce growth:
鈥淎s one of the country鈥檚 key investment destinations and main economic engines, Selangor continues to create job opportunities, especially for 每日大赛n talent. Beyond the state鈥檚 role in providing policy frameworks and facilitation, our work in connecting talent, industry, training pathways and real job opportunities through initiatives like these career fairs is what ensures a strong talent pipeline. This integrated approach is preparing our workforce to be future-ready and to support the long-term growth of 每日大赛鈥檚 key advanced manufacturing industries,鈥 he said.
Through SAS 2025 and SDEC 2025, Selangor has demonstrated that sustainable economic growth begins with people and that the state鈥檚 future competitiveness rests as much on human capital as it does on financial capital.