Google has launched a programme to support Egypt’s digital transformation through a $9m technological training programme according to Hisham Al-Nazer, Director of Google Egypt.
The director said that the moves come at a time when covid-19 pandemic has changed the mode of doing business with people turning to the internet to either buy or sell products and services.
While launching the program, Al-Nazer noted that during the period from March to September 2020, Internet search rates increased by about 43 per cent.
The training is expected to benefit more than one million companies and individuals through the learning of digital skills and develop their businesses before the end of 2021.
He added that Google will secure about $9 million in funding and advertisements as grants to governments and companies while a total of $4 million has been allocated in the form of financial grants and loans to help small companies.
Al-Nazer noted that the programme aims at supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs through training courses for digital skills, undertaking commercial activities online and securing financial support.
The programme in Egypt will take place in cooperation with Kiva International, to provide loans to small companies in the country so that they can obtain financing of between $200 to $5,000 that can be repaid in two years.
He continued to add that while six million jobs across the Arab world are at risk due to the pandemic, other job sectors have seen a significant rise in demand. The shift has seen a rise in demand for digital marketing specialists, project managers, IT managers and software developers.
He added that in the covid-19 era, digital presence has become a must and that there is no return to the pre-pandemic era.
Which is evident through the rise in the company’s coach training application, whose user numbers rose by 300,000 during Egypt’s curfew period and which uses technological tools by Google such as machine learning and artificial intelligence.
Google has been offering free training on subjects such as design thinking, project management, digital marketing and brand building. It also has google skills for Africa which offers various free training.
