04:37 PM
Google Colombia announced this Wednesday an initiative together with the Ministry of ICT and Colnodo, with the aim of promoting the development of digital skills in Colombia and employability in the sector, through 10,000 scholarships aimed at people interested in acquiring knowledge in areas of high labor demand.
Giovanni Stella, general manager of Google in Colombia, Central America and the Caribbean, expressed his satisfaction with the expansion of this program.
“We are very happy that more people will be able to take advantage of these scholarships and develop their digital skills. By joining efforts with local entities, we hope that this benefit will support those who need it most and that we will continue to contribute to reducing gaps and improving the quality of life of people in Colombia using technology,” he stated.
For his part, the mICT minister, Mauricio Lizcano, highlighted the importance of these scholarships in the context of government priorities: “Today we launched, with Google, 10,000 scholarships offered by this company on topics of Artificial Intelligence and cybersecurity, which are the two great priorities of the Government. These free courses are a route to employment, as they facilitate people’s transition to building a venture, a company, or to continue a project with an IT route. We want to train a million Colombians and build, together, a Digital Power country.”
What do these scholarships offer?
The scholarships will allow beneficiaries to access two virtual programs: the Google Career Certificate in Cybersecuritywith an approximate duration of 6 months and a dedication of 10 hours per week, and the new course on Fundamentals of Artificial Intelligencewith a duration of approximately 15 hours.
Each scholarship grants access for up to one year and does not require a college degree or prior work experience to apply.
Besides, Colnodo will be responsible for the selection process, prioritizing places to reach those who need it most.with special attention to people without access to a university degree, women heads of household, LGBTIQ+ population, ethnic communities and those in unemployment or informality.
The director of Colnodo, Julian Casasbuenas, highlighted the commitment of this alliance in promoting digital inclusion: “We have seen a broad interest in participation from people in Colombia, we are happy that together with Google and the Ministry of ICT in Colombia we can guarantee that these opportunities reach people of all ages, prioritizing digital inclusion of the most vulnerable sectors.”
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Google Career Certificates, in areas of high labor demand, seek to address the gap in digital talent. The programs are compatible with people who have employment or other obligations, since access is online and asynchronous through Coursera. Upon completion, participants receive a Google certificate that endorses the knowledge acquired.
In recent years, the Grow with Google program has awarded more than 15,000 scholarships in Colombia. During 2023, in alliance with the MINTIC, 4,400 scholarships were awarded for the Career Certificate in Cybersecurity, hoping that students will profile themselves in roles related to security analysis, IT and cyber defense.
The new Fundamentals of Artificial Intelligence course is part of the Grow with Google program and is intended for those seeking to acquire basic knowledge about Artificial Intelligence. Lucas Ansaldo, Country Marketing Manager of Google Latin America, highlighted the importance of AI for digital inclusion and social and economic progress.
According to Google, in less than 15 hours, students will learn the basic AI skills and the most relevant tools for their implementation and development, taught by Google Artificial Intelligence specialists.
