Google adds 5,000 scholarships to its employer-recognised certificate programme for Singaporeans

There will be five tracks, ranging from IT support, project management, data analytics, UX design, and digital marketing & e-commerce.

A year following its launch, Google Singapore will be adding an additional 5,000 scholarships under the Google Career Certificates (GCC) — one of the pathways under its training initiative, Skills Ignition SG, announced on 13 January 2022, at an event attended by Human Resources Online (HRO).

Launched in 2020, Skills Ignition SG  is the organisation's digital training partnership with the Singapore government and a coalition of employers, aiming to ensure that Singapore — where Google’s APAC HQ is located — has the skilled workforce it needs for the long-term future. The programme first expanded in 2021, and saw more than 3,200 people enrolled for training at the time. It offered the following existing pathways: cloud technology, data engineering with machine learning fundamentals, and digital marketing.

The addition of Google Career Certificates to Skills Ignition SG enabled Google to expand the programme again, and extended the benefits to more Singaporeans.

The training to earn a certificate is conducted online, tailored to people with no prior experience or degree, and lets learners go at their own pace. It offered certificates in four areas where Google had noted job openings outnumbering skilled candidates: IT support, project management, data analytics and user experience design.

With this, the organisation provides scholarships to help up to 5,000 learners earn a Google Career Certificate at no cost — in partnership with all five local polytechnics, Institutes of Technical Education, social service agencies and organisations such as The Codette Project, Singapore Indian Development Association and Yayasan MENDAKI.

With this announcement, and building on its previous commitment, Google will help a total of 10,000 locals earn employer-recognised certificates. 

Echoed by the ‘empower’ pillar under the government’s Forward SG initiative, Google has noted an increased interest in online certification on skills that are relevant and specific to the career needs. "Learners are opting for micro-credentials, which are quicker and flexible knowledge transfers that can be completed within months."

Featuring five tracks ranging from IT support, project management, data analytics, UX design, and digital marketing & e-commerce, these additional scholarships will be distributed via 23 local partners, including educational institutions, self-help groups, and social service agencies.

A total of 10 new partners have pledged their support this year, which includes six universities - Nanyang Technological University (NTU), National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), Singapore Management University (SMU), Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS), Yale-NUS College, as well as four community organisations - Hatch, SG Enable, Tech Talent Assembly, and Young Women's Leadership Connection.

New programme to supplement the ITE curricula in cloud technology for 1,000 students

At the event, Google also announced a new partnership with the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) to launch a year-long Google Cloud Computing Foundation (GCCF) Value-Added Programme, supplementing the ITE curricula in cloud technology for 1,000 students.

This makes ITE is the first education institution to incorporate GCCF into their school curriculum for students in Singapore. This is also part of ongoing efforts under the industry-wide TechSkills Accelerator for ITE and Polytechnics Alliance to fill 1,000 job roles over the next three years with graduates from ITE and polytechnics.

This new programme is developed amid the growing adoption of cloud technology across industries, such as financial services, retail, healthcare, and manufacturing, aiming to provide students with industry-relevant skills and life skills to support companies’ digital transformation journeys. Higher Nitec students and Work-Study Diploma trainees from the School of Electronics and Info-Comm Technology at ITE Colleges will learn foundational concepts around data analytics, machine learning, and more through the Cloud Foundations online curriculum. By the end of the course, learners will be able to articulate these concepts and demonstrate hands-on cloud computing skills.

Ben King, Country Managing Director of Google Singapore, commented: “Singaporeans’ push towards lifelong learning has encouraged many locals to advance their proficiencies in tech-related skills to seize opportunities in a digital-enabled future. Since launching Skills Ignition SG in 2020, we are encouraged that more than 7,000 learners have benefited from the programme."

He added: "By extending more Google Career Certificates scholarships through educational institutions and community groups, we hope to create equitable learning opportunities for more Singaporeans to earn credentials that can open new career possibilities and thrive in Singapore’s growing digital economy.”

Zaqy Mohamad, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Manpower, as well as Deputy Chairman of Yayasan MENDAKI (pictured above), also attended the event: “I commend Google Singapore on its recommitment to upskilling as they extend an additional 5,000 Google Career Certification scholarships through community partners like MENDAKI, ITE and The Codette Project.

"It is encouraging to see that seven in 10 certificate graduates have reported a positive impact on their career within six months of completion. Lifelong learning is essential for our youth and workers to remain adaptable, competitive and raise their competencies, especially during these post-pandemic times."

Revised guidelines on the Implementation of WSH Management System for Marine Industries

This past week, Minister Zaqy also supported the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Seminar, where the revised guidelines on the Implementation of WSH Management System for Marine Industries was launched. 

The guidelines outline the roles and responsibilities of company leaders and workers in enhancing safety, as well as the need for robust systems and processes to reduce workplace accidents.

In a Facebook post following the event, he added: "The guidelines are free and publicly available - I urge all marine companies to refer to them while reviewing your systems."

At the event, the Minister highlighted the use of technology to protect workers. Another point noted was that workers cannot perform tasks properly when we are physically unwell. These can lead to dangerous, and even fatal, outcomes at work. Hence, as Minister Zaqy affirms, it is equally important for employers to invest in the health of their workers.

"We had a rocky year for workplace safety in 2022, with five fatalities in the marine industries prior to the Heightened Safety Period (HSP) in September 2022. I am heartened to note that there were zero fatalities for the marine industries after the start of HSP.

"There is no room for complacency as safety must remain our top priority. I look forward to a safe and productive year for the marine industry."

Lead image / Provided by Google