Prospects of a data science career in Malaysia

In 2016 the World Economic Forum estimated that 65% of the children going to schools now will end up in jobs that don’t exist! Indeed, job profiles like Tele-Surgeon, Big Data Doctor and Virtual Habitat Designer are rarely known and yet it is indicated by organizations like Fast Company and careeraddict.com that such roles will increasingly become mainstream career options. The rapid change brought about by the fourth industrial revolution has already jolted world economies as digital economies are continuously replacing the conventional economies. Data is the main resource of digital economies and data scientists are inevitably playing a very significant role.

This is why the career of a data scientist is much sought after and many pursuing data science in every corner of the world. However, before you opt for a data science course elsewhere you must consider the prospects of a career in data science in Malaysia

The digital economy of Malaysia

Malaysia had foreseen the impact of advanced digital technologies and took essential steps to embrace the rapid digitization of economic sectors. The Malaysian Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) was set up to oversee the digital transformation of the country’s economy in that regard and it worked wonders. In 2017 the Malaysian digital economy accounted for 18.3% (RM 247.1B) of the entire GDP and is expected to be RM 324.9B by 2020. The country is constantly driving investments and building local tech champions to bolster the digital economy even further. The MDEC aims at future-proofing the economy by providing a strong digital innovation ecosystem. Innovations like the Malaysian Digital Hub to support tech START-UPS have been instrumental in making Malaysia the gateway for data-driven business models.

Some amazing developments:

• Malaysia based health tech startup Naluri has raised USD 1.5 M from Berlin-based VC firm. Naluri uses Data science and behavior science to provide health coaching and psychological support for users thereby preventing diseases. Use of Data Science in healthcare services is not new but a startup like Naluri which was only set up in 2017 is able to raise a considerable amount of fund indicates the strong health of the digital economy of Malaysia.
• Air Selangor, the provider of water supply in the Malaysian state of Selangor has embraced data science to develop sustainable water resources and solve water management challenges. It is one of the many organizations in Malaysia to embrace digital transformation to meet new challenges.

These developments indicate that why Malaysia is considered to be one of the best places to begin a career in data science. Few countries can rival such an encouraging digital ecosystem and with a data science course in Malaysia, you can easily grab the opportunities offered by the digital economy of Malaysia.