Microsoft Plans to Provide 2.5 Million People in the ASEAN Region with AI-Skilling Opportunities

Microsoft announced that it will provide 2.5 million members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) with artificial intelligence (AI) skills by 2025. Governments, corporate and nonprofit institutions, and communities in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam are partnering with the skill-building projects.​

Microsoft's commitment supports the ASEAN Digital Masterplan 2025, which aims to develop a talent pool in the region that is prepared for AI. The company's overarching objective includes enabling people, groups, and communities in ASEAN nations to take advantage of AI's potential to spur economic development and innovation.

Building an inclusive, AI-ready workforce, closing the cybersecurity talent gap, improving developers' AI abilities, and enabling nonprofits to maximize their social impact are the four main areas of Microsoft's skilling commitment.

Microsoft has a long history of assisting ASEAN nations in narrowing the digital skills gap, and these efforts will build on that legacy. About 1.7 million people have taken part in its Skills4Jobs program over the last two years.

In partnership with the ASEAN Foundation and the education ministries of the 10 member states, Microsoft will support the enhancement of vocational education systems throughout the ASEAN region to offer AI skills, which is expected to benefit 644,000 vocational students.

Microsoft and the ASEAN Foundation will train students in AI through the AI TEACH for Indonesia and AI TEACH Malaysia programs, which will offer technical and vocational education. Microsoft is also utilizing its current collaboration with Kartu Prakerja, the largest pre-employment program in Indonesia, to train and educate 100,000 underprivileged adolescents and job seekers in AI, data, and security.​

Microsoft is committed to ensuring that 1 million Department of Education students in the Philippines have cybersecurity and AI skills by the end of grade 12, preparing them for future employment prospects. Additionally, by funding a new program to train 100,000 TESDA female learners with AI and cybersecurity capabilities, Microsoft will deepen its partnership with the country's Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). In support of the nation's digital transformation, this will help cultivate a diverse talent pipeline.

With a projected shortage of 2.7 million cybersecurity workers by 2023, the Asia-Pacific region is facing the world's biggest skills gap in this field. AI-powered security features are also becoming essential in the battle against contemporary cyberthreats.

Microsoft has created and selected training programs in collaboration with nonprofits as part of its global Cybersecurity Skilling Initiative to help open up new career paths for young people from underrepresented backgrounds in the cybersecurity sector.

Microsoft's Ready4AI&Security program, which aims to provide women with more possibilities to pursue cybersecurity jobs, will teach 15,000 youth in Indonesia and Malaysia. Access to Microsoft's Security courses and certifications will be part of this.
​
Microsoft launched the Asia AI Odyssey campaign to empower the 7 million developers in the ASEAN region. The campaign demonstrates how Microsoft's AI Applied Skills certify the unique technical competencies needed to build transformational AI applications. The program, which is taking place all over Asia, is to train 30,000 developers in ASEAN nations in order to promote increased usage of AI services in the digital economy.