Malaysia to host first Global Skills Forum outside Geneva, under ASEAN Year of Skills

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, /PRNewswire/ -- Malaysia has been honoured with the international recognition of hosting the Global Skills Forum (GSF) 2025, marking the first time the prestigious event will be held outside of Geneva.

The official announcement was made on June 9 by Malaysia's Minister of Human Resources, The Honourable Steven Sim Chee Keong, during a high-level event co-organised with the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva. The GSF main event will take place in Kuala Lumpur on 22-23 October 2025.

Malaysia's selection as host reflects not only its role as Chair of ASEAN 2025, but also the country's growing leadership in workforce transformation, labour market reform and human capital development. The GSF 2025 will also serve as a flagship initiative under the ASEAN Year of Skills (AYOS), led by Human Resource Development Corporation, an agency under the Ministry of Human Resources Malaysia.

First hosted by the ILO in Geneva in 2024, GSF's second edition in Malaysia signals global confidence in the country's skills leadership and future-of-work readiness.

Malaysia's Global Commitment: Skills Access Without Borders

"GSF 2025 is not just about future skills - it is about fairness," said Minister Steven Sim. "Whether you are a coder in Hanoi, a delivery rider in Jakarta, or a factory worker in Kuala Lumpur, your work deserves respect, your safety deserves protection, and your skills deserve investment."

He continued, "To commemorate this important milestone, I am pleased to announce the global expansion of e-LATiH, Malaysia's national online learning platform. e-LATiH now offers free and borderless access to reskilling and upskilling content for any learner, anywhere in the world."

"Additionally, as announced during the ASEAN Human Capital Development Investment Symposium on 27 May, Malaysia is opening our National Training Week (NTW), taking place from 14 to 21 June 2025, to all ASEAN citizens for the first time. The programme will offer over 65,000 free skills development courses, delivered through both online and physical formats, covering areas such as artificial intelligence, digitalisation, green technology, and leadership. We welcome ASEAN citizens to join us in this regional initiative," concluded Minister Steven Sim.

GSF 2025 will convene 200+ delegates from 16 countries, including ministers, experts, industry and union leaders, and global bodies.

Strategic objectives include:

• Strengthening regional cooperation on skills mobility and labour certification.
• Accelerating investment in green and digital skills.
• Strengthening public-private partnerships in workforce development through Sector Skills Bodies (SSBs) and innovation-driven ecosystems.
• Launching Malaysia's National Human Resources Policy 2024-2030 as a model for ASEAN-wide collaboration.

Against this backdrop, GSF 2025 will serve as a platform to address key workforce challenges, including:

1. Gig economy integration and protections

   GSF 2025 will tackle gig work formalisation and protections, with Malaysia leading via its upcoming Gig Workers Bill, scheduled for tabling in Parliament in the second half of 2025.

2. Expanding social protection for all workers

   GSF 2025 will explore inclusive models for income security and universal protection, addressing gaps faced by informal, migrant, and self-employed workers in ASEAN.

3. Rethinking occupational safety

   Following Malaysia's ratification of ILO Convention C155, GSF 2025 will examine how digitalisation, remote work, and labour fragmentation are reshaping workplace safety and regulations.

4. Private sector at the centre of skills innovation

   For the first time, GSF 2025 will spotlight private sector leadership, with industry, employers, and training providers driving agile, future-ready skills systems.

For information, www.aseanyearofskills.org. For media and partnership, [email protected].