Socso’s three-day employment forum to see international participation

KUALA LUMPUR: The upcoming International Public Employment Forum 2023 (Ipef 2023) will give insights into creating new employment prospects; upskilling and reskilling the workforce; and enhancing the quality of workers.

Organised by the Social Security Organisation (Socso), the three-day forum in Kuala Lumpur will bring together local and international industry experts and stakeholders in public employment and workforce development.

Socso chief executive officer Datuk Seri Dr Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohammed said participants can expect insights on workforce development, policy implementation and skills enhancement during the second edition of the forum themed “Building a Resilient Workforce: The Madani Approach”.

“This is to align with the government’s goals of promoting sustainable employment, economic growth and workforce development, which are key priorities for our nation’s progress,” he added.

Dr Mohammed Azman said that some challenges organisations face in building a workforce are skill gaps, rapid technological change, dependency on foreign workers and adaptation to remote work.

“The forum will discuss these challenges and propose strategies to address them.

“The expected outcome of Ipef 2023 includes identifying best practices worldwide, namely from Belgium, Turkey, Japan, Korea and other participating countries.

“These ideas can help in policy recommendations, innovative solutions to enhance public employment opportunities and workforce resilience,” he said.

He added that expert-led discussions, case studies and interactive sessions will examine successful operational approaches organisations adopt within evolving work norms.

The event will feature speakers and panellists such as Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli, World Bank Malaysia senior economist Dr Matthew Dornan and national bowling legend Datuk Shalin Zulkifli.

Some 1,000 participants are expected at Ipef 2023 from countries such as Belgium, Korea, Norway, Indonesia, India, Turkiye and Germany. This includes participants from government agencies, international organisations, the International Social Security Association (Issa), research institutions and private sector stakeholders.

Collaborating with international organisations such as Issa and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) would allow access to better policies, invaluable expertise, resources, and data on labour market challenges worldwide, Dr Mohammed Azman added.

Ipef 2023 will be held from Oct 11 to 13 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

Those participating in the forum are entitled to HRDC financial grant and can register via https://ipef2023.perkeso.gov.my/.