Global service provider boosts ties with academe

Accenture Philippines intensified its commitment to work closely with the academe in Cebu to help universities and colleges produce top quality manpower pool.

"We are on initial discussions with colleges and universities in Cebu for closer partnerships. This year, we are focusing on broadcasting and sharing what we know," said Arvin Yason, lead for technology at Accenture-Cebu Delivery Center.

Its initiative to forge a closer work-relationship with the academe sector is to constantly update the manpower shapers or providers (academe) of the new IT and the industry's requirement in terms of skills.

Furthermore, this is also one of Accenture's contributions to push Cebu's potential becoming an "Innovation Center" in the Philippines.

The new IT, the Internet of Things, the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI), among others are just few of the expertise that the company will share with the academe sector. In this way, students will be prepared to enter into the next-level skill requirements of high-value jobs.

According to Yason, Cebu is not a difficult environment to navigate in terms of shaping the next wave of manpower, saying there is already a strong innovation community, and the potential is stronger.

Accenture, the largest IT and outsourcing firm in the Philippines, based on Philippine Economic Zone (PEZA) data, recently opened its fifth office in Cebu.

According to Yuson, Accenture aims at strengthening its tie-up with the academe, specifically in the AI technology.

AI is primarily machines exhibiting some form of intelligence and basic learning. These machines can be physical, such as robots, but the core of AI is software having new learning and applying it to specific tasks or functions.

Currently, Yason added there isn't too many workers with expertise on AI, thus Accenture is going to aid the academe in this particular specialty in IT skills.

Accenture Philippines now has a total of 23 facilities in the Philippines — 17 in Manila, one in Ilocos and five in Cebu. Combined, these facilities employ more than 45,000 people.