Grab To Boost Digital Literacy In SEA To Upskill Millions Of Workers

Written by Marc Adrian

Grab, Southeast Asia’s biggest ride-sharing and food delivery app is planning to boost digital literacy in Southeast Asia. During their conference, an official announced that they are going to digitize more small businesses and train future-ready workforce by 2025. Their goal is to improve the digital literacy rate of some 3 million Southeast Asians. 

Co-founder and CEO Anthony Tan said during their regional press briefing that Grab has partnered with global technology firm Microsoft to address the current digital skills “gap” as part of its Grab For Good campaign. 

Tan said that the campaign is about creating economic access and digital equality for all in Southeast Asia, enabling and empowering people to create a sustainable livelihood for themselves. He added that at least 16 percent of ASEAN youth want to work in the technology space but some don’t have access to tools to prepare them for the needed skills. 

For starters, they will train some 20,000 students through its tech talent initiatives. Microsoft will train students for tech skills and help retool partner-drivers and their families so they too can be part of the digital economy.

 Microsoft Asia Pacific Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Operations Ricky Kapur said in the press briefing:

“Not a large proportion of the population has access to technology that is needed to equip themselves in roles that are needed in the future, so there is an opportunity for us to build the future but the reality is that there is going to be a lot reskilling to be required” 

Grab and Microsoft will also be working with universities across the SEA region to training students for in-demand skills. Access to content and other learning tools will be provided by Microsoft while Grab will support through hackathons and internships. 

Kapur noted that the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia are the top countries seen to gain the most from improved productivity according to a commissioned study.

In their Social Impact report, Grab reported that the company contributed at least $5.8 billion to the Southeast Asian economy within 12 months leading to March 2019. And it provided income opportunities to at least 21 percent of its partner-drivers, who had no work prior to joining Grab.

“As Southeast Asia grows, we hope everyone can rise with it and benefit from the growing digital economy,” co-founder Hooi Ling Tan said.

 

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