Google supports 3,000 Singaporeans through on-the-job training, local office placements, training courses and more

Together with Economic Development Board (EDB), Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG), Google has launched Skills Ignition SG - a jobs and skills training initiative for 3,000 local entry-level and mid-career jobseekers in Singapore.

Based on Google’s tried and tested curricula, Skills Ignition SG offers two programmes:

1. On-the job training opportunities
   • A nine-month place and train programme for up to 600 applicants, where participants will do three months of online vocational training before moving on to six months of hands-on work experience with employers.
   • Starting October, Google will make available 100 positions in Singapore with the remaining 500 positions will be supported by Google’s key partners. These key partners include including Dentsu Aegis Network, Omnicom Media Group, Publicis, Sephora and Trip.com.
   • The place and train programme is open to all local graduates, professionals, and jobseekers, with programme fees entirely paid for.
   • Successful applicants will be informed of their host companies before the programme begins and receive a monthly salary while undergoing training.
   • The programme is supported by the Company-Led Training Programme under TechSkills Accelerator (TeSA) initiative, by IMDA.
2. Skills upgrading
   • Two six-month full-time training courses in the areas of digital marketing and cloud technology for up to 2,400 mid-career professionals.
   • These courses provide industry-relevant skills to boost employability in the ICT sector.
   • Each enrolled participant will receive a monthly training allowance of S$1,500.
   • The nett fee for each training programme is $500, for which participants can use their SkillsFuture credit. The rest of the fees will be subsidised by SSG.
   • This will be the first of two courses to be rolled out under SSG’s SGUnited Mid-Career Pathways – Enterprise-based Training programme, in support of the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package.

Singapore's Minister for Communications and Information, S Iswaran said, “In this uncertain environment, the government’s over-riding economic priority is to create jobs and opportunities for our people, and I am encouraged that companies, such as Google, are also stepping up to join us in this critical national effort." 

Scott Beaumont, President, Google Asia Pacific, added, “We are delighted to partner with the government in supporting 3,000 local jobseekers through Skills Ignition SG, and thank and recognise our industry partners who have stepped up during this difficult job climate."

Ben King, Country Director at Google Singapore, shared, “To kick off the programme, Google will offer 100 locals hands-on work experience at our office and will continue to work with our partners to offer more job placements. When participants successfully complete the programme, they will be equipped to take on jobs with companies within Singapore's broader tech ecosystem."

Google-certifiable vocational training

As part of Skills Ignition SG, Google has developed a comprehensive online curriculum to provide vocational learning in the areas of digital marketing and cloud technology together with its authorised training providers, AVADO and Agilitics.

The curriculum includes a mix of online live instructor-led training, self-paced online study and online group and individual project work. Participants who complete either course will receive professional certificates recognised globally.

Private-public collaboration to support talent skilling

Skills Ignition SG builds on Google's ongoing community upskilling initiatives in Singapore. To help underprivileged young Singaporeans be digitally ready for the future, Google and IMDA expanded its Code in the Community programme in January 2020 to bring free, multi-level coding classes to 6,700 more students, aged eight to 16 years old. Its next run begins on 25 July 2020 and will be conducted online.

In April 2020, Google and UOB also announced the expansion of the SME Leadership Academy, thus increase the capacity by ten-fold to help 4,000 small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by the end of 2021. Since its expansion three months ago, the programme has trained over 1,000 SME workers in the retail and tourism sectors.

As an additional show of support for the local community, Google has returned its Job Support Scheme (JSS) wage subsidies, and pledged to decline future payouts from the Government.

On the Google Blog, King added: "Singapore was the first office we opened in Southeast Asia, back in 2007. Today, it’s our headquarters in Asia Pacific, and a community we love being part of. We’re going to do all we can to help Singaporeans rebuild and emerge stronger from this crisis." 

Photo / 123RF