Building Tomorrow’s Talent Today: Penang Launches GBS Industry Academy 2.0 to Power and Train 500 GenAI Talent by 2026
Source: InvestPenang
PENANG, 5 JUNE 2025 – Penang launches the Penang GBS Industry Academy (PGIA) 2.0: #GenAI Talent Ready, a forward-looking initiative aimed at developing next-generation AI talent to accelerate innovation, support industry growth, and drive digital transformation.
Spearheaded by InvestPenang, and supported by Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), Penang Skills Development Centre (PSDC), and Penang GBS Focus Group (Penang GFG), PGIA 2.0 builds upon the success of PGIA 1.0 by introducing a structured upskilling framework focused on artificial intelligence (AI). The programme targets professionals, new hires, and fresh graduates, equipping them with essential skills to facilitate AI adoption and bolster Malaysia’s digital economy.
In alignment with the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030), National Semiconductor Strategy (NSS), MyDIGITAL, and the National AI Office (NAIO), the programme aims to: (1) train and upskill AI talent across key industries – IC design with embedded software, GBS, and robotic automation; (2) bridge the AI talent gap by developing a future-ready AI-competent workforce; and (3) advance Malaysia’s digital economy with training programmes aligned with industry demands.
PGIA 2.0 sets a goal of training 500 GenAI talent by 2026. Phase 1 of the programme will commence in July and run through to December 2025, with a target of training and upskilling 100 GenAI talent across key industries. This will be followed by Phase 2 in 2026, which aims to expand the impact by developing an additional 400 talent, further strengthening Penang’s GenAI-ready workforce for the future.
PGIA was launched on 8 November 2022 as a collaborative initiative between InvestPenang, MDEC, PSDC and Penang GFG to bridge the talent supply-demand gap and enhance the competitiveness of GBS talent in the state. Since its inception, PGIA has successfully trained 1,105 participants across 40 courses.
In 2024, Penang recorded RM14.7 billion in approved investments in the services sector alone—accounting for 46% of the state’s total approved investments. This underscores Penang’s growing prominence as a strategic hub for high-value services.
With more than 200 and counting Malaysia Digital Status companies, Penang continues to reinforce its position as a thriving digital and innovation hub. As the digital economy is projected to contribute 25.5% to Malaysia’s GDP and generate over 500,000 jobs by year-end, Penang is well-positioned to lead the nation’s digitalisation efforts—driven by a dynamic ecosystem, deep industry linkages, and a strong talent pipeline. Ranking second only to Kuala Lumpur in GBS investments, Penang has established itself as a key node for global and regional service operations.
The PGIA 2.0 was launched by the Right Honourable Chief Minister of Penang, Mr. Chow Kon Yeow, in conjunction with the Penang Career Discovery Day 2025 organised by InvestPenang and supported by Penang GFG as part of the “Penang Silicon Design @5km+” initiative. The Penang Career Discovery Day 2025 featured sharing sessions by industry leaders and more than 20 career booths by companies from the IC design-related and GBS sectors. The event attracted approximately 400 participants, including industry players in the GBS and IC Design fields, STEMA students from USM, UniMAP, UiTM, UUM, UM, UOW KDU, PSDC, Sentral and more as well as representatives from government agencies.
