Tech giant Google announced that they are opening up vocational training for more than 600 Singaporean residents where they will expand their training programme, Skills Ignition, according to media reports.
The programme was launched in July last year to help government agencies help the Economic Development Board, Infocomm & Media Development Authority (IMDA), and SkillsFuture Singapore so that they can equip 3,000 entry-level and mid-career Singaporeans and permanent residents with the crucial digital skills as the country’s economy becomes more reliant on technology.
Over the past year, with the help of vocational training, along with a combination of online and on-the-job learning with 38 host companies like Google Singapore itself, Omnicom Media Group, and ZUZU Hospitality, more than 2,600 people have been benefitted from digital marketing and cloud technology skills.
Google Singapore’s country director Ben King told the media, “Our intention was to help Singaporeans through a difficult period during the pandemic, by building in-demand skill sets for the future through meaningful work experience and through training opportunities. “With the acceleration of a digital economy, the role of artificial intelligence (AI) will continue to grow in prominence as the centrepiece of Singapore’s smart nation road map. As long-time global leaders in AI and machine learning, we want to support the nation by developing a pipeline of local talent who are proficient in these areas.”
Singapore has around 19,000 unfulfilled technology jobs each year, as reported by IMDA estimate. Comparatively, there are only 7,000 IT graduates from universities, polytechnics, and Institute of Technical Education to fill them.