Go Digital Asean initiative to train 15,000 youths, micro entrepreneurs

KUALA LUMPUR: Go Digital Asean programme, which focuses on closing the digital gap across the region, has reached Malaysian shores and is set to provide training for up to 15,000 underemployed youths and micro entrepreneurs nationwide.

In a statement, the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives (MEDAC) said the programme, launched by its minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, would help address the economic impact of Covid-19.

The Asia Foundation – supported with a US$3.3 million grant from Google’s philanthropic arm, Google. org – is collaborating with the Asean Coordinating Committee on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (ACCMSME) to train up to 200,000 people from rural regions and underserved communities.

In Malaysia, the selected implementing partners, International Youth Center and Startup Malaysia, will utilise part of the funding to develop digital literacy training modules with a goal of supporting 15,000 unemployed youths and microentrepreneurs, half of whom are females.

The ministry said the training would focus on skills such as creating online profiles on professional network platforms, conducting business online through social media, and maximising job portals to improve employability.

“The collaboration between the ACCMSME and The Asia Foundation, with the support of Google.org, contributes to the capacity building of Asean micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in digitalisation and will help realise the region’s digital integration as aspired by the Asean Digital Integration Framework,” Wan Junaidi said.

Meanwhile, The Asia Foundation president David D. Arnold said the initiative was the first-of-its-kind collaboration, pooling expertise and approaches from government, business, and non-governmental organisation sectors to help bridge the digital gap. - Bernama