Unveiling Skill–Industry Associations in Malaysia's Data Professional Employment Market

Abstract

Digital transformation and the shift to remote work accelerated Malaysia’s entry into the Big Data Analytic (BDA) world. Rising demand for data-related jobs contrasts with limited workforce and unclear role-specific knowledge. This study analyzes the job growth of four data professional roles in Malaysia by using correspondence analysis to identify industry involvement and Apriori algorithm to determine the high-proficiency skills preferred by employers. The data were collected from Malaysian job advertisements on LinkedIn, JobStreet, and Indeed between 15 April and 15 October 2024, revealing sector-specific demand with uniquely preferred skills for each role. Data Analysts are highly sought in Services and Retail/F&B/Hospitality, requiring Python, Natural Language Preprocessing (NLP), Tableau, Excel, strong decision-making and organizational skills, alongside Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) and SAP Customer Data Platform expertise. Data Scientists are in demand in Science and Sales/Marketing sectors, emphasizing R Studio, Tableau, machine learning (ML) algorithms, and creativity. Data Engineers are preferred in Computer/IT and Healthcare, needing Python, NLP, ML algorithms, organizational skills, and cloud platforms Amazon Web Service (AWS) & Google Cloud Platform (GCP). Database Administrators are required in Admin/HR and Healthcare, with skills in NLP, Excel, Gorubi, decision-making, organizational skills, and systems like Cloud Formation, Snowflake, Databricks, WMS, and SAP Customer Data Platform. Generally, data professional job growth in Malaysia is developing rapidly but clear tasks boundaries are needed in bridging the gap between industry and institution for skill development in future career advancement.