By Jeffrey Yap and Mohamed Hathim Ali
The digital landscape of Malaysia has always been bullish for both developers and end-users, and this is evident by the wide spectrum of government initiatives and the steady growth of tech enterprises in the country. Just in 2021, while most countries were grappling with the onslaught of COVID-19, Malaysia boldly launched MyDigital, to help its citizens from all walks of life become digitally enabled – actions within a larger blueprint to transform Malaysia into a high-income tech nation by 2030.
While a staggering 78% of Malaysians have yet to embrace the wide array of opportunities within our digital economy, this is not a cause for alarm as the MyDigital initiative has been gradually spurring the domestic tech ecosystem into rolling out a myriad of upskilling programmes for Malaysians to level-up their digital savviness and tech skills. Worthy to mention, many of these programmes are offered at no cost!
‘Go Cloud!’ takes its role
In this day and age, acquiring knowledge of technical disciplines is becoming increasingly possible for those with little or no technical background. One such programme is ‘Go Cloud!’, which is paving the way for Malaysians to effortlessly make an entry into the realm of cloud technology, yet offering sufficient learnings for budding IT professionals to upskill and seize greater career opportunities.
Given that most digital applications today are powered by cloud computing, ‘Go Cloud!’ offers a well-rounded curriculum that is designed by Google Cloud’s technology and subject matter experts, to bolster the need for greater technical knowledge across a nation with a growing appetite in digital consumption.
“Whether you are a student, a working professional, or a leader in an organisation aiming to thrive in the fast-growing digital economy, we aim to create a level playing field for all Malaysians to arm themselves with cloud, analytics, and AI expertise. Now, more than ever, these technologies are helping businesses to reinvent themselves to expand digitally and regionally, and even to outmanoeuvre uncertainty. ‘Go Cloud!’, as highlighted amongst our latest commitments in partnership with the Government of Malaysia, aligns Google’s local mission of Advancing Malaysia Together with the government’s goal of creating a supportive ecosystem for innovation that includes more meaningful and equitable job opportunities”, said Patrick Wee, Country Manager, Malaysia, Google Cloud.
“With Go Cloud!, there are a variety of learning pathways for all, from learning about generative AI to BI (business intelligence) and analytics – skills that can teach you how to compile and automate analysis of large amounts of raw data, and present them in a digestible report form. Such invaluable skills are highly regarded by companies as it can dictate strategic business decisions. In short, there’s no shortage of courses to choose from!”, shared Ruby Kaur, Managing Director of Trainocate Malaysia.
All Aboard!
With the constant reminder of a looming global recession and news of layoffs across industries creeping in daily, it is essential for the “Rakyat” to act now and be capable beyond their present expertise.
To mobilise the ‘Go Cloud!’ programme nationwide, Lester Leong, Country Manager of Cloud Mile Malaysia shared, “As a top cloud technology company in the APAC region, we are excited to partner with Trainocate Malaysia and Google Cloud on the Go Cloud! programme. This strategic collaboration aims to foster local talent, a vital step in Malaysia’s journey toward becoming a tech-savvy nation. Together, we are dedicated to empowering Malaysians with valuable knowledge of Google Cloud technologies.”
One of the defining features of Go Cloud! is the opportunity to earn skill badges via a gamification element within the learning process. These exclusive badges are a testament and recognition of participants’ ability to solve real-world problems using their newly attained cloud knowledge.
“These skilled badges are akin to earning a professional certification, which can be proudly shared on platforms like Linkedin. By earning and displaying these skill badges, it not only reinforces your tech credibility but enables you to connect with a community of like-minded professionals who are all focused on using the same skill sets for the greater good”, added Ruby Kaur.
Push or perish
During the World Economic Forum in 2020, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) issued an alarming notice, which resonates to this date – technology will radically transform around 1.1 billion jobs in the next decade. AI, for instance, won’t replace humans, but humans with AI skills will replace humans without AI skills.
Recognising the need to push for change, Trainocate Malaysia and CloudMile have set a goal to upskill 300,000 Malaysians in Google Cloud expertise by 2026. While this may seem like a tall order, the only obstacle that is hindering Malaysians from acting fast is their mindset.
Get started with Go Cloud! now with a choice of five courses at no cost: https://trainocate-my.powerappsportals.com/go-cloud-page/.
This article is contributed by Venturous PR, a student-led communications agency from Taylor’s University, School of Media & Communication (SOMAC). As an entrepreneurial sandbox for senior PR undergraduates, Venturous PR strives to make innovative communication solutions accessible to Startups and SMEs. The project is also part of Business Today’s social engagement initiative with PR students to promote ethical journalism.
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