The ASEAN 5G Skills Framework is a regional initiative led by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to strengthen inclusive human capacity development across the ASEAN digital ecosystem. The project aims to provide a structured regional reference for workforce development by identifying critical job roles and skills required across the 5G value chain, while accommodating the varying levels of digital maturity among ASEAN Member States.

Key results achieved include the identification of 50 critical job roles and 211 digital and technical skills across areas such as network infrastructure, cloud-native systems, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, data engineering, and digital services. From this skills landscape, 12 priority skills were further identified to address the most significant workforce gaps in the region. The framework was developed through a multi-stakeholder approach involving regulators, industry players, academic institutions, and international organisations, and was validated through regional consultations and pilot capacity-building activities involving 252 participants from 11 ASEAN Member States.

The project’s impact lies in enhancing workforce readiness, supporting digital inclusion, and enabling ASEAN countries to develop future-ready talent for advanced connectivity technologies. By providing a common, adaptable skills reference, the framework supports sustainable digital infrastructure development, regional collaboration, and long-term economic growth across ASEAN.

https://www.mcmc.gov.my/en/home

• Asia and Pacific

• Youth
• Women
• The unemployed
• Remote and rural communities
• Government regulators, Academic and training institutions, Industry and SMEs

• The ASEAN 5G Skills Framework identifies 211 discrete 5G related skills, structured as a reference architecture rather than a prescriptive curriculum.

• By mapping skills to different 5G maturity levels (beginner,intermediate and advanced), the framework enables ASEAN Member States — and other countries with similar digital
readiness profiles to design, adapt and replicate 5G training programmes according to national context, without a onesize-fits-all approach.

• This modular, maturity-based design supports scalable replication beyond the initial pilot, positioning the framework as a regional digital public good for workforce
development

• Sustainability is ensured through institutional anchoring and continued use. The ASEAN 5G Skills Framework serves as a core reference for ongoing and future training programmes delivered by MCMC Academy, extending impact beyond the
2025 pilot phase.

• The framework operates within a broader digital capacitybuilding ecosystem, reinforced by long-standing regulatory capacity-building and leadership development initiatives, ensuring that skills development remains aligned with policy readiness, institutional capability and regional priorities over time.

• This approach enables continuous updating, reuse and
regional adoption, supporting long-term workforce readiness
rather than one-off training outcomes.

This project reflects the WSIS vision of “Building the Information Society: a new challenge for the new millennium” by strengthening inclusive digital workforce development across ASEAN. i. Digital Inclusion: • The framework adopts a maturity-based skills architecture aligned with ASEAN digital readiness levels, enabling Member States to progressively develop workforce capabilities within the 5G ecosystem. • By structuring skills across beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels aligned with different stages of 5G ecosystem maturity, the framework allows countries at different levels of 5G deployment to adopt the roadmap and strengthen their digital workforce accordingly ii. Accessibility and Inclusivity • The project promotes accessibility by enabling ASEAN Member States to adopt and localise the framework according to their national digital readiness and workforce priorities, ensuring participation from countries at different stages of digital infrastructure development.