The Go Digital ASEAN program is going full blast in facilitating free digital skills training for Filipino job seekers and entrepreneurs. The initiative is aimed at providing the necessary online tools and technological skills to participants so they can get into the digital economy and overcome the economic impact of the ongoing pandemic.
The initiative has three-course offerings: Digital Tools for Jobseekers; Harnessing Social Media to Expand Your Business; and Getting Your Business Online. The skills training sessions are conducted through virtual classrooms in two half-day meetings. Certifications are issued upon completion of each course.
The online courses focus on the creation of online professional profiles to maximize employment opportunities; increasing of market reach of micro, small, and medium enterprises through social media; and support for digitization of agri-tourism ventures.
“We are scaling the Go Digital ASEAN training to bring fundamental digital skills in training to 25,000 Filipinos with support from Google.org. Initially working with a team of 25 partners skilled in training, human resource management, business process outsourcing, information technology, MSME development, and digital freelancing backgrounds, we will expand partnerships with government agencies and units, the private sector, civil society organizations, and the academe to strengthen digitalization programs and ensure economic and business continuity across the country,” said The Asia Foundation Country Representative in the Philippines Sam Chittick.
Go Digital ASEAN program aims to close the digital gap for some 200,000 MSMEs across Southeast Asia. The initiative is a collaboration between The Asia Foundation and Pailig Development Foundation, Yoveo Digital, Clevergrit Web Services, and Google.org (Google’s philanthropic unit.
The initiative has trained 3,385 job seekers and entrepreneurs in the Philippines. Consequently, the rate of training participants who have gone ‘very confident’ in the use of digital tools jumped to 52.55% post-training, from just 18.62% prior to it.
“Small businesses are the heart of the Philippine economy. We have seen how the current pandemic has impacted so many entrepreneurs and business owners across the country, and there is an urgent need to support their digitization so they can continue to keep their businesses going,” said Google Philippines Country Director Bernadette Nacario. “We are extremely proud to support the work that The Asia Foundation is driving through the Go Digital ASEAN program.”
Nacario added that the grant builds on Google’s ongoing commitment to equip more individuals with skills training so they further participate in the growing digital economy in the country.
Interested to participate in the Go Digital ASEAN program? Register here.
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