MOST businesses in the country are currently grappling with the widening digital skills gap. According to data, an alarming 83% of the Malaysian workforce has minimal digital skills. Because of this skills gap, SMEs struggle to fully utilise digital marketing, a key driver of growth in today’s competitive landscape. This gap is regarding existing approaches to training that are relevant, practical and aligned with real business needs.
Many Malaysian SMEs have invested time and money into training, yet results remain underwhelming. A key reason lies in a global phenomenon: 73% of workplace learning never gets applied on the job, according to a report by Harvard Business Review. Uptake in Malaysia stands strong where HRD Corp is giving subsidies to training in the amount of RM8,000 per employee; however, the practical impact has not been consistent.
The problem with training programmes lies in that many of them try to teach with the same modules that are too rigid or stagnant, and are now not at all flexible to the fast changes of digital marketing. Traditional classroom models may not treat different variables on the new platform, fresh algorithms or new cognisance arising in directions of consumer behaviour.
As a result, professionals may end up with theoretical knowledge that doesn’t translate into real-world outcomes. This gap can somehow justify that the learning process ought to be adaptive and practical in line with the industry’s rapid evolution.
Digital marketing demands practical, evolving skills
Digital marketing today makes the day-to-day tasks far beyond just managing social media accounts or launching a simple ad. It now encompasses performance marketing, setting up conversion tracking, analytics, SEO and optimisation of ads specific to platforms. These tasks demand technical expertise and strategic thinking, evolving constantly in response to algorithm changes, consumer behaviour or data policies.
Many trainers still adhere to old curricula or theoretical instruction. For SMEs that often operate within limited teams, this is a big limitation. Without accessible upskilling aligned to business goals, marketing risks stagnation or loss of effectiveness. This can hinder their ability to adapt to changing market conditions and technologies, ultimately impacting their competitive position.
Based on the same survey by Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), only 48% of Malaysian workers feel confident in handling advanced digital tasks. This means the majority of workers are not adequately supported to harness basic digital marketing tools, let alone optimise for performance. This lack of confidence may hinder the country’s progress towards becoming a successful digital economy. Upskilling the workforce is therefore a necessity for companies to ensure that the current workforce is well-equipped with the new-age skills to excel in the digital world.
Opportunities for ecosystem players
There is clearly an opportunity for ecosystem enablers including HRD Corp, SME Corp, MDEC and even industrial associations to steer the discussion away from training volume towards training effectiveness. Metrics should henceforth include the downstream effects of campaign performance, sales growth or rate of skills application rather than being restricted to the count of employees trained or training hours delivered.
This shift would help SMEs maximise their digital investments and also enhance workforce resilience as Malaysia transitions into a knowledge-based economy. A kind of collaboration between tech-enabled training providers with government-linked agencies may equitably open the doors to quality upskilling for those businesses in tier-2 or non-urban markets who are even scarcer in having digital marketing skills.
Private institutions like OpenAcademy are stepping in to close this gap. Rather than relying solely on static modules, OpenAcademy uses data and technology to tailor training to company-specific goals. Its platform integrates real-world marketing tools and campaigns into the learning process, making training immediately relevant and effective.
Rethinking training for a digital-first economy
Any move-ment towards tech-led and context-based learning is part of a larger change in how upskilling is being viewed in businesses. By incorporating real-world tools and data into training, organisations are making sure that new skills are immediately put into practice in order to foster quicker results and long-term capacity building. With digital talent in high demand, such experiential models can grow with companies as scalable solutions, independent of conventional education and training.
Upskilling must break through the classroom and into the campaign dashboard. Business owners and HR leads should ask: Does our training translate to better campaign results? Are we using our HRD Corp grants to build skills that directly impact our growth targets?
The digital marketing gap in Malaysia is a reflection of outdated training models that don’t match the speed or specificity of today’s business needs. With 83% of the workforce still struggling with basic digital skills, organisations must take a more strategic approach to capability-building.
This article is contributed by OpenAcademy co-founder and managing director Celine Ting.