MANILA - Google Philippines on Wednesday said it is offering 39,000 Filipinos the chance to study and complete an online certificate course through its Google Career Certificates scholarships.

The program is in partnership with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and telco giant Globe which will be the one tasked to spread awareness of the program.

Google Philippines Marketing chief Gabby Roxas said they see growing demand for IT-related jobs and there is a need to equip Filipinos with new skills for the ever-changing market.

"This is to ensure that our workforce is competitive and they can actually land jobs in the growing IT field," Roxas said.

DICT and DTI officials were also present at the launch and they welcome such projects to help upskill the Filipino workforce.

DICT Asec. Jeffrey Ian Dy said, "Upskilling should be at the forefront of the development of the ICT industry sector in the Philippines. It's not just about infrastructure, but it's also about people-structure."

DTI Usec. Ireneo Vizmonte said, "This represents another milestone in our efforts to assist the nation in advancing towards a digital economy."

Filipinos 18 years and above can apply for the online certificate course which may run from 6 months to 1 year. There are 4 courses to choose from IT Support, Data Analytics, UX Design and Project Management. No work experience or academic degree is needed.

Globe will be the one to spread the word through its many activities such as school caravans and partnerships with local government units. Applicants may wait for Globe's announcement on their social media pages.

"We see that education is a very important pillar," said Erben Pilapil-Tuazon, Portfolio Director of Globe who hopes to reach out to its over 87 million subscribers.

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