AirAsia Digital partners with Google to launch academy

KUALA LUMPUR: AirAsia Group’s digital arm, AirAsia Digital, has partnered with Google to launch Redbeat Academy as part of its continuous digital transformation journey.

AirAsia Digital president Aireen Omar said admissions to the academy, which was previously only available to AirAsia’s staff, is now open to the public and businesses.

The academy offers a series of tech workshops in areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Software Engineering, Cybersecurity, Big Data and Infrastructure.

Aireen said the course period ranges from two months to a year.

“For those who have no technology (tech) background, they might have to go for a fundamental course, which takes about a couple of months or so,” she said to reporters at the launch of the academy here yesterday.

The academy was launched by the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Khairy Jamaluddin.

Also present were AirAsia Group executive chairman Datuk Kamarudin Meranun, group chief executive officer Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and Google Malaysia country head Marc Woo.

Aireen said the tuition fee is affordable and the curriculum is suited to market needs.

“This is all based on our own experience on the kind of talent we need.

“The classes will be both online and physical; some classes need to be instructorled because it's too difficult to teach online,” she said.

During the event, Redbeat Academy had also signed a partnership with Malaysian Industry-Government Group of High Technology (MIGHT) to reskill a pool of talents in software engineering and hightech projects.

The academy had also inked a partnership agreement with University of Technology Malaysia, University Malaya and Asia School of Business, in collaboration with MIT Sloan Management, in awarding a micro-credential to Redbeat Academy’s courses and acknowledging it as part of the Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL).