Malaysia has certified only 17 subsea welders to date, revealed Deputy Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad during the presentation of the Supply Bill 2026 to the Dewan Rakyat. The surprisingly low figure exposes an alarming shortage of skilled talent in sectors such as oil, gas and maritime construction.
This training program, managed by ADTEC Kemaman, aims to prepare workers for high-risk tasks in offshore operations; however, progress is minimal. The lack of certifications under the National Occupational Skills Standards (NOSS) for diving activities reinforces the perception of a still incomplete structure for underwater technical training.
Two worlds of diving in Malaysia
While the diving-related tourism sector has managed to certify 655 instructors between 2020 and 2025, the industrial segment shows hardly any development. The contrast between the two areas reflects an imbalance in the orientation of public training policies and evidences the underutilized potential in the heavy maritime industry.
During his speech, Abdul Rahman noted that 780 diving-related trainees received funding from the Skills Development Fund Corporation (PTPK), however, this support did not translate into increased underwater certifications or meaningful employability.
High salaries, but no defined salary structure
The salary situation was also a topic of discussion, where Datuk Awang Hashim, Member of Parliament for Pendang, questioned the lack of a defined salary scale for commercial divers, considering the complexity and dangerousness of their work. and hazardous nature of their work..
Against this backdrop, Abdul Rahman indicated that salaries in the sector are well above market levels, reaching RM15,000 per month (around US$3,000 / EUR2,700). Despite these data, the deputy minister did not rule out evaluating the creation of a minimum benchmark, although he defended the free dynamics of the market.
Lack of labor attractiveness
Despite the high potential wages, only 15,988 people (2.5% of total placements) have found jobs in fishing and commercial diving related industries since 2020. This confirms that there is a gap between the supply of employment in the maritime/offshore sector and the interest of Malaysian workers, who seem to prefer other sectors.
The Ministry of Human Resources assured that it will continue to expand training offerings and improve accreditation processes for specialized technical profiles such as underwater welders. However, current statistics reflect an urgency that requires more forceful and strategic measures.
Source: Malaysian House of Representatives via New Start Times