MICROSOFT Corp. teamed up with a nonprofit organization and a cloud-based learning platform provider to equip 4,000 Filipinos with digital skills and enhance their employment opportunities amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
The technology giant said in a statement on Monday that it has partnered with JA Asia Pacific and CloudSwyft in launching a regional skilling program for over 60,000 individuals in the Asia Pacific.
The program, which is aimed at providing skill resources and job prospects, will be present in the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. It is part of the company’s global skilling initiative to help jobless individuals acquire digital skills.
“Covid-19 has accelerated the shift towards a digital economy, and organizations here in the Philippines are requiring greater digital skills from talents so that their businesses can adapt and thrive in this new environment,” said Andres Ortola, Country General Manager of Microsoft Philippines.
So far, Ortola said the tech firm has helped more than 150,000 Filipinos gain digital skills during this pandemic.
He is expecting more Filipinos “will have much-needed digital skills to enhance their employment opportunities” with the new program.
In implementing the program, Microsoft Philippines has collaborated with the Department of Education.
The training, which will also be offered in local languages including Tagalog, will have orientations via webinars. The participants will be introduced to potential career paths in digital skills, data science courses and lab assessments by CloudSwyft.
“As an organization dedicated to empowering youth and preparing them for the jobs of the future, we understand the hurdles people are currently facing when it comes to employment and employability,” JA Asia Pacific President and CEO Maziar Sabet said.
CloudSwyft Founder and CEO Dann Angelo De Guzman agreed that technology has been key in mitigating disruptions due to lockdown protocols amid the pandemic, aiding the businesses to sustain operations.
“In addition to providing crucial digital skills training to communities in the Philippines, our skilling program will be invaluable in supporting business and economic growth, preparing a future-ready workforce to catapult the nation to future success,” De Guzman added.
Ortola said Microsoft will continue collaborating with the government, nongovernment organizations and the private sector to further its initiatives in the digital skilling of Filipinos.