Microsoft equips over 150K Pinoys with digital skills

MANILA, Philippines — Microsoft Corp. said it has helped over 30 million people in 249 countries and territories, of which over 150,000 are from the Philippines, gain access to digital skills during the pandemic, stepping into the next stage to help job seekers and employers move to a skills-based economy.

The software giant said it is also extending its commitment to help 250,000 companies globally make a skills-based hire in 2021.

From laid-off factory workers to retail associates and truck drivers, millions of people turned to online learning courses from GitHub, LinkedIn and Microsoft during the pandemic to help prepare for and secure the most in-demand roles, including customer service, project management and data analysis.

“Skills will be the new currency in the post-pandemic world. Over the past year, we’ve seen the pandemic affect people all across the world, including those who could bear it the least,” said Microsoft Asia president Ahmed Mazhari.

“For us to emerge stronger from the pandemic, reskilling needs to be at the center of our economic reset. Together with LinkedIn, we are doubling down our efforts to re-design work in the region by supporting the development of a more inclusive skills-based labor market, creating more alternatives, greater flexibility, and accessible learning paths that connect people more readily with new job opportunities.”

The global skilling effort in the Philippines is a strategic imperative within Microsoft’s nation-building plan for the country. Known as its Para sa Bayan program, the plan ultimately aims to positively impact 25 million Filipinos over the next three years by stimulating digital transformation, building coalitions for responsible innovation, closing the skills gap and enhancing employability, and creating sustainable societal impact.

Education is a key focus area for Microsoft, and its close collaborations with the Department of Education (DepEd) aims to transform the education sector with technology. Before COVID-19, Microsoft and DepEd embarked on a project to provide free Microsoft 365 accounts to over 20 million public school students and 900,000 teachers in 48,000 schools all over the country. To date, over 400,000 teachers have been trained in Office 365, Teams and other digital teaching tools.

Microsoft is also partnering with the national government to upskill up to 800,000 government employees and five million students for economic development and inclusive growth.

In addition, programs in partnership with the National ICT Confederation of the Philippines, ABS-CBN, Philippine Airlines, IT & Business Process Association of the Philippines, Grab Philippines, and CloudSwyft are underway to ensure to close the skills gap of Filipino workers and enhance employability.

“COVID-19 has increased the need for digital skills, and we are committed to meeting that need however we can – paving the way for a more resilient Philippines and allowing all sectors of society to contribute to the country’s economic recovery. We will continue to partner with the government, the private sector, non-profits, and NGOs to have a whole nation approach,” said Andres Ortola, general manager, Microsoft Philippines.