MANILA, Philippines – Microsoft Philippine has partnered with the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Employers’ Confederation of the Philippines (Ecop) to increase recruitment rates for high school graduates in the country.
Microsoft said in a statement on Monday (June 21) that some 260,000 students and teachers participated in an online event for free skills training in Microsoft Office 365, Microsoft Teams, and Minecraft Education.
They also received training on Microsoft Learn, LinkedIn Learning, and Microsoft Imagine Academy.
“Microsoft is committed to supporting the digital transformation journey of 23 million students and nearly 900,000 professors at DepEd through technology and programs that promote digital literacy, STEM education, and advancement of skills,” said Joanna Vélez Rodríguez, Public Sector Director, Microsoft Philippines.
“More opportunities will open up for them after completing learning paths in digital productivity, computing, cloud, artificial intelligence and data science, all aligned with the most in-demand product and technical skills and jobs in demand globally,” according to Undersecretary of Education Alain Del B. Pascua.
The training program was crucial as an estimated 20 percent of upper secondary school graduates enter the workforce immediately, the statement showed, citing data from the Philippine Institute of Development Studies.
“This translates to sizable digital skills gaps for many graduates,” Microsoft said.
Additionally, a recent Philippine Business for Education study group revealed that only 20 percent of the top 70 companies in the Philippines were inclined to hire high school graduates “due to the perception that new graduates are not ready for work. “.
Microsoft said it will work closely with DepEd to fully extend the program to 10th and 11th grade students and ensure skills and certification support for more than 5 million DepEd middle and high school students each year.
Microsoft PH Says 260,000 Join Online Training To Increase Recruitment Rates
