We’ve all worked with enterprising people like Daniel Singh — a Singaporean human resources professional whose curiosity about technology made him the unofficial “tech support” for many of his coworkers. But Daniel took his interest in technology a step further, studying at night to earn a Google Career Certificate in IT Support. He’s now the technology lead for a local business, managing complex projects while volunteering at his local community centre to share his knowledge with others.

We know many more Singaporeans want to be able to develop the skills for careers in the fast-growing digital economy. Today we announced we’ll be helping meet that demand by introducing Google Career Certificates as a new pathway under Skills Ignition SG, our digital training partnership with the Singapore government and a coalition of employers.

We first launched Skills Ignition SG in 2020, to support Singaporeans in a challenging job market. At the same time, we wanted to help make sure Singapore — where Google’s Asia-Pacific headquarters is located — has the skilled workforce it needs for the long-term future. We expanded the program last year, and so far more than 3,200 people have enrolled for training. We’re on course to hit our target of helping 3,800 Singaporeans under the program’s existing pathways: Cloud Technology, Data Engineering with Machine Learning Fundamentals, and Digital Marketing. And hundreds of trainees have gone through work placements with Google and other host companies.

The addition of Google Career Certificates to Skills Ignition SG will enable us to expand the program again, and extend these benefits to thousands 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.

For Skills Ignition SG, we’re offering certificates in four areas where job openings outnumber skilled candidates: IT Support, Project Management, Data Analytics and User Experience Design. We’ll also be providing 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 organizations such as The Codette Project, Singapore Indian Development Association and Yayasan MENDAKI.

These steps will make digital training more accessible. But it's equally critical that Singaporeans can find jobs which allow them to put their new skills to use — which is why we’ve formed a consortium of employers to consider hiring Skills Ignition graduates in their first roles. So far, 15 companies (in addition to Google) have joined the consortium, ranging from global multinationals to major local businesses — and we expect to welcome more employers soon.

This spirit of partnership is why Skills Ignition SG has made such an impact over the past two years. We and our government and industry partners are united in our commitment to help Singapore thrive as a technology leader for the region and the world. According to AlphaBeta research, taking full advantage of digital technologies could generate up to S$65.3 billion in economic value annually in Singapore by 2030. We look forward to playing our part in realizing that potential — working to create economic growth, jobs and opportunities for Singaporeans in the decade ahead and beyond.