Google Malaysia Launches Digital Upskilling Initiative: Grow With Google

Featuring free in-person workshops and self paced, app delivered digital skills training

Google Malaysia today launched its nationwide digital upskilling initiative in Kota Kinabalu with Minister of International Trade and Industry, Datuk Ignatius Darell Leiking.

Called ’Grow with Google’, the umbrella initiative aims to help all Malaysians access free-of-charge digital skills training, both online and in person, to help them make the most of the digital economy.

At the launch event, Google Malaysia Country Head Marc Woo said that while digital opportunities for Malaysian businesses and individuals are tremendous, a significant segment did not feel they possess the necessary skills to make the most of opportunities that come their way.

“We’re launching Grow with Google to champion economic opportunities and digital inclusion. We want to give Malaysians the chance to learn new digital skills so they can make the most of the digital economy — whether a business owner, entrepreneur, job seeker or a student wanting to make headway,” said Woo. “We’re pleased to be able to expand our digital skills offering and build on our existing local programs.”

Grow with Google (#GrowWithGoogle) includes the following free Google programs and tools that are available to Malaysians:

• Mahir Digital Bersama Google, a series of in-person training workshops to help SMEs succeed in the digital economy. The program will focus initially on Kuala Lumpur, and will expand to other Malaysian cities later this year.
• The launch of the Android and iOS Primer app, which coaches anyone who wants to learn new business and digital marketing skills at their own pace and time with more than 200 bite-sized lessons divided into topical modules. A Bahasa Melayu version is in the works and will be available later this year.
• A freshly updated Google My Business site and app experience, where business owners can manage their presence on Google Search and Maps — including creating and hosting a website in minutes, engaging with customers online in real time, and deriving performance insights from their online listings.
• Jobs Search, a brand new feature built directly into Google Search that provides a comprehensive listing of Malaysia-based jobs from multiple job sites, including local partners Jobs Malaysia, Jobstore, Maukerja, and international partners LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and Monster.com. To get the most functionality, job seekers can create job alerts and refine their searches by industry, geolocation and other suitable variables. At launch, over 260,000 jobs are listed in the corpus.

The Mahir Digital bersama Google workshop immediately following the Grow with Google launch in Kota Kinabalu was attended by 100 people representing small and medium businesses from Sabah and Sarawak looking to digitally upskill themselves.

Since 2017, Google has trained tens of thousands of people across Malaysia through online and in-person training workshops as well as on campus university partner programs.

“There are significant benefits to being upskilled, regardless of where Malaysians are on their respective digital journeys — Grow with Google includes sessions on everything from building your CV online, to improving your website or creating a digital marketing plan for your growing business.”

The success of Grow with Google is predicated on creating opportunities for all Malaysians to grow their skills, careers, and businesses with free tools, training, and events by Google Malaysia.