Google to include Google Career Certificates under Skills Ignition SG, together with 5,000 scholarships to create inclusive digital skilling opportunities for Singaporeans

Google announced today that Skills Ignition SG will be expanded to include Google Career Certificates, enabling locals to develop their knowledge and acquire digital skills for jobs in high-growth fields. Additionally, to enable more segments of the local workforce, Google will provide 5,000 scholarships through 13 local partners, comprising self-help groups, social service agencies, polytechnics and Institutes of Technical Education (ITEs).

According to the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), technology professionals continue to be in high demand, and employment grew by almost 4 percent from FY 2019 to FY 2020, in spite of the economic downturn. From 2016 to 2020, the number of tech jobs in the economy grew by almost 20 percent. Additionally, a report by AlphaBeta found that if leveraged fully, digital technologies could create up to S$65.3 billion worth of economic value annually in Singapore by 2030. 

Scott Beaumont, President of Google Asia Pacific said, “With a strong digital talent pool, Singapore can lead the way as a regional and global technology hub. We know that partnerships between government agencies, businesses and community organizations are the best way to ensure that Singaporeans have the skills they need, and we’re proud that Skills Ignition SG has already helped more than 3,200 people. We want to build on that progress in 2022 and beyond. This new pathway — underpinned by Google Career Certificates — means even more Singaporeans will be able to access training opportunities, learn new skills and better compete for jobs in the digital economy as it continues to grow.”

Available on online education platform Coursera, Google Career Certificates are flexible online training programmes that enable learners with no prior experience or a degree to unlock new job opportunities in four tracks – IT Support, Project Management, Data Analytics and UX Design. Each curriculum is created by Google’s in-house experts and designed to equip students with fundamental skills through hands-on learning, allowing them to progress at their own pace while studying or working. 

To provide the opportunity for more people to benefit from Google Career Certificates, Google will offer scholarships for 5,000 learners to earn a certificate at no cost. Google will partner with all five polytechnics, three ITEs, social service agencies as well as self-help groups such as The Codette Project, Singapore Indian Development Association (SINDA), and Yayasan MENDAKI (Council for the Development of Singapore Malay/Muslim Community) to distribute the scholarships. 

Google has formed an employer consortium to connect graduates from Skills Ignition SG with employers who have a need for qualified candidates in these fields. Current members of the consortium, in addition to Google, include 8BIT Global, Coca-Cola, Group East Digital, Enfactum, Fairprice Group, Fraser and Neave Limited, Integrated Health Information Systems (IHiS), L’Oreal Singapore, Omnicom Media Group, Pixel Mechanics, PointStar, Searce, SP Group, SPH Media Limited, Waggener Edstrom Worldwide Singapore and Wilmar International Limited. 

Launched together with the Economic Development Board (EDB), IMDA and SkillsFuture Singapore in July 2020, Skills Ignition SG has to date helped more than 3,200 Singaporeans by boosting their employability and providing vital industry experience in Cloud Technology, Data Engineering with Machine Learning Fundamentals, and Digital Marketing. Applications are open for Pathway 1 (6 months of vocational training), while a new intake for Pathway 2 (3 months of vocational training followed by 6 months of on-the-job training) will commence in the first half of 2022. 

Under its Grow with Google initiative that provides free access to training courses and tools, Google has several ongoing training offerings, which include: 

• SME Leadership Academy, a partnership between Google Singapore and UOB that aims to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) compete more effectively in the digital economy
• Google Primer, a free mobile and web app that offers easy-to-understand and interactive lessons in five minutes to help business owners reach their goals

For more information on Google Career Certificates, please visit here.