MANILA, Philippines, September 27, 2023–As part of its ongoing commitment to help build a Digital Philippines, Google announced today the availability of no-cost generative AI skills development courses, the Google for AI Startups Cloud Program, and three new Google Career Certificates.
Nurturing skills and supporting startups for the AI economy
To make career paths in generative AI more accessible to individuals, Google Cloud has launched generative AI skills development courses available at no cost under its Cloud Skills Boost Program. This learning path helps people understand a wide range of topics including Introduction to Generative AI, Large Language Models, Responsible AI and more. Filipinos can now seize the opportunity to build and demonstrate their proficiency in in-demand AI skills to prospective employers.
Google Cloud is also supporting more seed to early stage startups (Series A startups) in the Philippines who use AI as the core technology to develop products or solutions. Through the Google for AI Startups Cloud Program, startups now have the opportunity to access much-needed cloud credits of up to US$350,000 over two years. The program provides access to AI experts, training, resources and networking opportunities. Interested startups may inquire and apply here.
Equipping the Filipino workforce with three new Google Career Certificates
Google has added three additional courses–Business Intelligence, Advanced Data Analytics, and Cybersecurity–to its Google Career Certificates program. These certificates are professional credentials that help enable people from all backgrounds to earn job-ready skills in high-growth digital fields such as IT Support, UX Design, E-commerce and Digital Marketing.
In 2022, Google announced it will provide 39,000 Google Career Certificate scholarships to help Filipinos from underserved communities acquire digital skills and earn employer-recognized certificates as a way to realize their career ambitions. Today, the company said it has allocated 1,000 new Google Career Certificate scholarships this year. This is in collaboration with several stakeholders including the Department of Information and Communications Technology and partner NGOs.
The Google Career Certificates program has created a positive impact in the Philippines. There are over 6,000 Certificate graduates now in the country. Over 80% of the graduates have reported positive career outcomes including landing a job, getting a promotion or raise within six months of completion of a Certificate.
Bridging the digital skills gap
A new study also launched today by The Economist Impact, supported by Google, shows that digital upskilling is becoming increasingly important to Filipino employees to be competitive in the workforce. The study reveals that:
● Self-management skills and digital skills are imperative: Self-management skills (68%) such as stress tolerance, resilience and flexibility are the most important for employees, closely followed by digital skills (52%).
● IT Support is the most important digital skill for Filipino employees: Within digital skills, advanced skills such as IT support (65.4%), data analysis and visualization (55.8%) and cybersecurity (59.6%) would be key to supporting growth in the Philippines, and are selected as “must have” capabilities by the employees. Employees in the Philippines prioritize AI and ML (machine learning) skills at higher rates (42%) than the regional average (33%).
● Government plays a vital role to facilitate a conducive skilling ecosystem: By collaborating closely with companies, organizations and communities, the government can help provide more equal access to skilling for example through incentives and supportive policies.
As per the eConomy 2022 report, the country’s tech sector is projected to grow rapidly with the estimated value of the digital economy reaching US$150B in the next decade. This massive growth will require the right capabilities and diverse skill sets in the labour market. According to the IT-BPM Association of the Philippines, by 2028, the tech industry is expected to generate 1.1M new jobs, of which 150,000 are developer roles that would need to be filled in the next six years.
“Google is a committed partner of the country in helping build a Digital Philippines. Through our technology, skilling programs, and partnerships, we will continue to help unleash the potential of the digital economy and empower the workforce of the future,” said Bernadette Nacario, Country Director, Google Philippines.
“Upskilling is so important for realizing career aspirations and improving lives. Programs like the Google Career Certificates and Google’s no-cost AI skilling courses will empower the country’s workforce to thrive in the digital economy. We are grateful to Google for its commitment to helping us build a Digital Philippines,” said Jeffrey Ian Dy, Department of Information and Communications Technology Undersecretary for Connectivity, Cybersecurity, and Upskilling.