TELANG Usan assemblyman Datuk Dennis Ngau is all for the Youth, Sports, and Entrepreneur Development Ministry initiative to ‘Futurise the Youth,’ emphasising its importance in preparing youth for a rapidly changing future.
He highlighted challenges, particularly among rural youth, who lack exposure to emerging technologies, suggesting targeted outreach programmes in schools to address this gap when he met with Sarawak Tribune.
SARAWAK TRIBUNE: The Youth, Sports, and Entrepreneur Development Ministry said it will be futurising the youth starting next year. What do you think of this initiative?
Dennis: I fully agree. It is timely to provide comprehensive real life guiding to prepare our youth for the anticipated challenging future. Slowly but surely our country will also experience the new world the west experiences today.
SARAWAK TRIBUNE: Why is it important for youth to equip themselves with AI skills?
Dennis: We can’t stay stagnant and ignore what is happening or going on around us in the world . The world is embracing several new technologies most notably AI. The emerging technology is making our living very exciting.
SARAWAK TRIBUNE: How will these skills benefit them especially in the working field?
Dennis: I foresee that knowledge and skills in AI will play a crucial role in enhancing work performance. Additionally, AI expertise can serve as a valuable complementary skill highly regarded by potential employers. This will enable individuals to stand out among other job-seeking candidates.
SARAWAK TRIBUNE: What other future-ready skills, besides AI, should youth focus on?
Dennis: Thebest way for our future youth to have a comfortable life is to possess good education attainments. And provide them with skills if they could not reach university education. We must also encourage our youth in terms of strong religious belief. This is of paramount importance and fundamental for one to mitigate life’s challenges.
SARAWAK TRIBUNE: What challenges might arise in equipping youth with AI skills, and how can they be addressed?
Dennis: My biggest worry is our youth’s inability to understand or comprehend how AI could play a vital role in human life such as being a new source of economy in years to come. This is especially so among our rural youth who live in a laid back environments due to less exposure .
Therefore outreach programmes should be carried out at our rural primary and secondary schools from now. Today research shows that many of our schooling youths choose to work for example as food deliverers or Grab drivers as they seem to lose interest in pursuing their studies.
