More than 30,000 young Filipinos from underserved communities will have a chance to develop job-ready skills through an initiative of a tech giant in collaboration with local partners.
Google on Wednesday launched the Google Career Certificate scholarships which aim to upskill 39,000 Filipino youths and jobseekers so they could land career opportunities in high-demand areas.
They can gain digital skills related to IT support, UX design, data analytics and project management through a suite of flexible online training programs available on Coursera.org.
The certificates, built and taught by Google, are designed to be accomplished within an estimated time of three to six months.
These are available for the public ages 18 and above and require no previous degree or experience.
Google will work closely with Globe Group and government stakeholders, including the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Information and Communications Technology, to distribute the scholarships.
The tech giant said its partners will nominate qualified recipients and track the progress of the scholars.
“Google is committed to supporting the Philippines’ economic growth through the opportunities created by the country’s growing digital economy,” Bernadette Nacario, Google Philippines country director, said.
“With the unemployment rate at 5.2% and rapidly growing job postings in tech, Google hopes to address the digital skills gap and improve the lives of thousands of Filipinos for themselves and their families by providing free Google Career Certificates,” she added.
Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual said such initiatives are “invaluable” to their “mission of creating globally competitive industries.”
“We laud Google for launching this initiative that will bridge 39,000 students and jobseekers to in-demand career opportunities in tech and IT,” he said.
More details about Google Career Certificates are available on its website.
