They’re the first tech giant to partner with the government to offer skills upgrading opportunities
Google this week announced a new jobs and skills training initiative for 3,000 entry level and mid-career jobseekers in Singapore.
The tech giant will offer 100 job roles at its Singapore office, with another 500 offered by some of their key partners across various industries. The remaining 2,400 places will be set aside for training courses in digital marketing and cloud technology.
The ‘Skills Ignition SG’ program will be done in collaboration with local authorities, and in support of the SGUnited Jobs and Skills package.
Google is working with the Economic Development Board (EDB), Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and SkillsFuture Singapore to roll out the initiative.
Besides placements at Google, jobseekers will have access to roles at firms like Dentsu Aegis Network, Omnicom Media Group, Publicis and Sephora.
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“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,” said Scott Beaumont, president at Google Asia Pacific.
“While the pandemic has impacted jobs and career opportunities, it has also accelerated digitalisation by businesses and increased demand for digital skills. We hope this program will help bridge that gap.”
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The program will focus on two different areas: on-the-job training and skills upgrading.
- Job placements
Up to 600 jobseekers will go through a nine-month program. This will include three months of online vocational training and a six-month hands-on work experience with employers.
This ‘place and train’ program is open to all local fresh graduates and professionals and will be free of charge. Successful applicants will know which company they’ll get jobs with before the program starts. They’ll also get a monthly salary while undergoing training. This program is supported by IMDA.
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- Upskilling
Up to 2,400 mid-career jobseekers will go through two 6-month full-time training courses in digital marketing and cloud technology. Each candidate will get a monthly training allowance of $1,500.
Participants can use their SkillsFuture credits for the course, which will cost $500 for each topic.
The curriculum will include a mix of online instructor-led training, self-paced online study, and online group and individual project work. Participants who complete either course will receive globally-recognised professional certificates.
“We remain focused on empowering Singaporeans today, for tomorrow, as we create good training opportunities, and vital industry experience,” said Ben King, country director at Google Singapore.
As an additional show of support, Google has also returned its Job Support Scheme (JSS) wage subsidies and pledged to decline future payouts from the government.