Through the partnership with the Ayala Foundation, women will have access to online workshops as well as digital skills learning. 

A joint study done by LinkedIn and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in 2022 found that “employers required eight of the last ten candidates hired in the past year to possess at least basic digital literacy and skills, and four of the last ten hires to possess advanced digital skills.”

“Individuals with just basic digital skills met with less growth in demand than those with either intermediate or advanced disruptive digital skills,” the study adds. 

What this highlights is the importance of being equipped with sufficient digital skills, especially with the continuous digitization of many industries in the Philippines. It is because of this that the Artificial Intelligence (AI) customer relationship management (CRM) platform and global technology company Salesforce has decided to partner with the Ayala Foundation to train women in digital and CRM skills. 

“Salesforce is committed to addressing both the digital skills and the gender gap in the Philippines, ensuring that the local workforce has equitable access to education, skills training, and career opportunities,” says Sujith Abraham, the Senior Vice President and General Manager of Salesforce ASEAN.

Salesforce and Ayala Foundation’s Partnership 

Under this partnership, Salesforce will conduct online workshops and digital skills learning. This will be made available to 185 women, ages 18 to 24, who are likewise recipients of the U-Go Scholar Grant. 

The U-Go Scholar Grant is a joint initiative by the Ayala Foundation and education start-up U-Go. It seeks to help women who come from disadvantaged backgrounds to pursue higher education in order. Moreover, it is a joint effort that helps increase women’s representation in the workforce. 

“Ayala Foundation believes that all Filipinos, including young Filipino women, should be able to choose to complete their education and thrive in the digital economy,” says Ayala Foundation President Tony Lambino. 

“Together with Salesforce and our other partners, we are dedicated to strengthening the U-Go program and broadening pathways to success for a more equitable tomorrow,” he adds. 

Why Other Companies Should Do the Same

Partnerships such as the one between Salesforce and Ayala Foundation are greatly beneficial in upskilling the workforce of our country. Digitization is now the name of the game and learning digital skills will help employees stay ahead with modern technology and processes. 

Ayala Foundation takes it a step further by providing skills training to women from underprivileged backgrounds who do not have access to such training. This will allow them to be more competitive in their chosen industry and be a great asset to the companies they will eventually work for.

Other companies should take inspiration from the partnership of Salesforce and Ayala Foundation and invest in the upskilling of their employees. They can go beyond their employees and provide even more learning opportunities for underprivileged Filipinos. This will, in turn, have positive effects on the job market as well as the country’s economy as a whole.