Globe x Yondu - Are You the Next Cloud Cadet?

Technology has become an integral part of our everyday lives. With that said, there’s always room for improvement and the opportunities for new innovations are larger than ever. Such opportunities come with the need for passionate and driven individuals who will lead the shift as the Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR 4.0) comes to the Philippines.

Globe, in partnership with Yondu, acknowledged this need and created the Accelerated Cloud Cadetship Enablement Program (AC2E) program. Both companies recognise that cloud technology will be a critical enabler of  IR4.0 and is launching this initiative to ensure that the country is able to deliver the talent needed to succeed in the coming digital transformation.

Globe Chief Information Officer Pebbles Manalang says "Globe is providing an opportunity for the next generation of IT professionals to be exposed in Cloud Technology with AC2E program at a young age."

In his talk recently Dr. Jose Ramon Albert, Senior Research Fellow of the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) made a conclusion during the IR4.0 Summit that people, business and government need to adapt to the disruption that will be brought about by IR4.0. Adapting to IR4.0 includes training the workforce with the new skills that will be needed to prepare for the future.   

An Overview of the AC2E program
AC2E is a cloud capability build program that offers a holistic technical and professional development plan to aspiring young IT professionals for the duration of seven months.

This premier program aims to produce 25 highly skilled cloud practitioners who are deployment and future-ready. It will launch in November with a series of events until December. Official onboarding and start of the program will be on January 2020 until August 2020.

Eligibility
Fresh graduates (those who have graduated from March 2018 onwards) of a two-year associate course or four-year Bachelor’s course in Computer Science, IT, Engineering, Mathematics, or any STEM-related courses can apply for this program. Most importantly, aspiring applicants should have a high propensity to learn new things, be immensely curious, a team player, and willing to work in a hyper-fast environment.

All qualified applicants will take an online technical assessment which will measure each applicant's technical competency. Out of all these applicants who will take the assessment, 100 qualifiers will be short-listed and will undergo paper screening. The top 50 will be chosen. The top 50 will attend a 2-day workshop and will be narrowed down to the top 30 who will continue with HR assessment and final deliberations.

Selected applicants will be hired by Yondu Inc. as a probationary employee with a competitive salary. They will be reporting in the Globe office at BGC, Taguig for the duration of the program.

For regional hires, a temporary relocation package for the duration of the program will be provided.

Those who pass the selection process will receive an email and SMS confirming they have passed.

What to expect from the AC2E program

Selected cadets can expect an exciting, intensive, and rigorous program. They will develop technical skills through learning sessions and immersions, as well as leadership and professional skills - making for a holistic experience. They will also be mentored and coached by a pool of experts in the IT industry. At the end of the program, the cadets will have the opportunity to work for a high-performing organization and get certification/s in different cloud platforms.

Onboarding will happen for two weeks to make sure that there is enough time for the cadets to be introduced to Globe and Information Systems Group (ISG). During this time, they will also be given other useful information that they will use throughout their journey.

For six months, the cadets will develop their skills and competencies in five major areas, or “stints”. This will be done through immersions and mentoring sessions. After each stint, the cadets will have a revalida where the knowledge, skills, and competencies that they acquired will be put to the test. Certifications will also be given after each track.

To culminate the entire program, a Capstone Project will be given to the cadets. They will group themselves in three’s or in pairs and will have three weeks to use their newly acquired cloud knowledge and skills in creating a proof of concept (POC). This will then be presented to a panel of experts.

The cadets will then graduate and be deployed to their home stints based on their performance throughout the entire program. Additional learning sessions on cloud native and cloud security topics will be offered for the cadets’ further education.

Opportunities After the Program
There are numerous job opportunities that await cadets once they finish the program, particularly in the fields of Architecture, Operations, Development, and Business such as roles include Enterprise Architect, Solutions Engineer, Cybersecurity Specialist, Infrastructure Operations, Application Developer, DevOps Engineer, Finance Analyst, and Cloud Finance Manager, to name a few.

The AC2E program understands the importance of the IT industry in the Philippines, especially with the rise of digital technology. It is a great platform for aspiring IT professionals to encourage innovation. Cadets will be given the chance to have an exciting learning experience that will help hone their skills and expand their horizons.

Interested? Register Now!

Read More »

IDC Philippines Reveals TOP ICT Predictions for 2019 and Beyond.

IDC Predicts for 2019 and beyond by 2020, at east 30% of organizations and companies will push for "digital determination" by re-imagining the future through innovative business models and digitally enabled products and services transformation their respective markets, operations and businesses.

"To be digitally determined, Philippine organizations require more than just resilience; they need a 'blueprint' that consists of a unified enterprise strategy, a long investment plan based on the principle that digital is inherently valuable to the business, and a single digital platform to scale technology innovations," said Sudev Bangah, Managing Director for IDC ASEAN. "But aside from these technical aspects, digital determination involves having the will to make the required organizational and cultural changes to better adapt in today’s digital transformation age," he added.

Bangah added, "New technologies are changing paradigms for individuals, businesses, industries, economies, and governments. The race to the future enterprise has begun. And with digital disruption becoming the new normal, no one and no entity will be spared of the need to at least reset or reboot themselves, if not reinvent."IDC puts together 10 Key Trends Opportunities and Challenges for IT Managers for 2019 and Beyond.

IDC puts together 10 Key Trends Opportunities and Challenges for IT Managers for 2019 and Beyond:

#1: Digital determination. By 2020, at least 30% of organizations will be digitally determined, transforming markets and reimagining the future through new business models and digitally enabled products and services.

#2: Digital trust. By 2020, 40% of CIOs will initiate a digital trust framework that goes beyond preventing cyberattacks and enables organizations to resiliently rebound from adverse situations, events, and effects.

#3: Digital KPIs. By 2023, 55% of entities will have incorporated new digital KPI sets – focusing on product/service innovation rates, data capitalization, and employee experience – to navigate the digital economy.

#4: Data monetization. By 2021, 40% of large enterprises will create data management or
monetization capabilities, thus enhancing enterprise functions, strengthening competitiveness, and creating new sources of revenue.

#5: BizOps. By 2021, 45% of CIOs will expand agile/DevOps practices into the wider business to achieve the velocity necessary for innovation, execution, and change.

#6: Digital twin. By 2023, 30% of the Philippines' top 1,000 companies will have implemented advanced digital twins of their operational processes, which will enable flatter organizations and onethird-fewer knowledge workers.

#7: AI-driven edge. By 2023, over 30% of organizations' cloud deployments will include edge computing, and 15% of endpoint devices and systems will execute AI algorithms.

#8: Blockchain-enabled DX platforms. By 2023, prominent in-industry value chains, enabled by blockchains, will have extended their digital platforms to their entire omni-experience ecosystems, thus reducing transaction costs by at least 30%.

#9: AI is the new UI. By 2024, AI-enabled user interfaces and process automation will replace onethird of today's screen-based applications. By 2022, 30% of enterprises will use conversational speech technology for customer engagement.

#10: AI governance. By 2022, 30% of enterprises will task CIOs to transform and modernize governance policies to seize the opportunities and confront new risks posed by AI, machine learning, and data privacy and ethics.

Read More »

Microsoft Brings Digital Transformation to the C-Suite

Microsoft is leading the discussion on digital transformation in the Philippines holding several C-level roundtable discussions on the impact and necessity of digital transformation in today’s modern business environment.

CEOs, CTOs, CFOs, CMOs, and CHROs from industries such as banking, professional services, retail, education, real estate, power & utilities, and telecommunications participated the discussions.

CIO & COO Roundtable event executives with Microsoft Leaders

“Microsoft is committed to helping leaders understand the economic implications of digital transformation in the society. Digital Transformation is emerging as a key driver of sweeping change across industries globally. More than a mere buzzword, it now has the capacity to significantly improve business revenue and create broader social good,” said Christian Lim, Chief Operating Officer of Microsoft Philippines.

The highlight of these discussions was the different perspectives and insights from organizations like Union Bank, PhilCare, and Rustan Coffee Corporation, to name a few. UnionBank executives: Edwin Bautista, Director, Chief Executive Officer, Henry Aguda, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Transformation officer and Arvie De Vera, First Vice President, Head of Fintech Group, shared the secret to the success of their work on digitizing finance. Aiming to resolve the problem of financial inclusion, UnionBank called in futurists and tech experts to help reach out to remote communities and give them access to financial tools.

At the CEO Round Table event, Microsoft took a closer look at the economic impact of digital transformation in the Philippines. Andrea Della Mattea, Area President (APAC) for Microsoft, reported that the impact of digital products and services to the economy of SEA nations will skyrocket from 6% to a staggering 48% by 2021. This growth will result to an economic increase of more than $60 billion. But more than the rise of revenue and decrease in costs in businesses, digital transformation also has the capability of improving consumers’ lives and bringing about social good.

Microsoft gears up to host another series of C-level roundtable discussion this August, it remains focused on supporting business leaders in their journey towards shaping better opportunities for business and society through innovation.

Read More »

Microsoft organizes the first, Azure Summit in the Philippines!

Microsoft Philippines showcased Microsoft Azure services in the first ever Azure Summit in the Philippines! The service enables organizations to open new possibilities, accelerate innovation, future proof their business, and stay compliant and secure

(from L-R) Microsoft Philippines COO Christian Lim, James Indino – VP-IT of Philcare, Marian Lontoc – IT Sales Director – Crayon, Andres Valencia – Global VP of ISV and Verticals, Crayon, Dir Angel Magtalas - ICTSS, Dept of Budget and Management, and Microsoft Philippines Managing Director Hans Bayaborda.

At the event, Microsoft gave a glimpse of what to expect from Azure as it help organizations with their Digital Transformation. Several Microsoft partners and clients – including Crayon, Philcare, and the Department of Budget and Management – shared their own stories of, and insight into digital transformation (DT) with Microsoft Azure. Attendees also heard from several Microsoft executives on actionable insights from their latest DT study. Microsoft’s own inspiring DT journey as a company was brought up by Hans Bayaborda, Microsoft Philippines Country Manager.

The event was well received by Filipinos as it was attended by over 900+ IT/Data Pros delegates, eager to see how organizations are using technology to change the game. Microsoft also gave away 25 Azure certifications to enable even more organizations through the cloud.

Read More »

MSI-ECS Offers Improved ICT Training Courses Philippines

MSI-ECS, one of the country’s leading ICT distributors announces the availability of ICT training courses designed to enhance literacy and competency of participants on different IT-related topics such as virtualization, database, network and security, servers and storage, anti-virus and threat management.

The MSI-ECS Education Business started in 2008, initially offering VMware courses when it was awarded as the first VMware Authorized Training Center (VATC) in the country. Now, with more advanced courses for VMware and HPE and producing three VMware Certified Instructors (VCI) from its roster, it has conducted more than a hundred  IT education and certification programs to clients from industries such as telecommunications, banking and finance, BPOs, government agencies and hotels and so has certified many system administrators, engineers, and managers on different subjects, applications and technologies.

With the transfer of the company to its new headquarters in Pasig, enrollees can expect a more conducive learning environment and leveled-up courses with new training rooms that are equipped with computer workstations with the solution center or POC (Proof of Concept) on fast and reliable internet connection where they can test-run applications, and assess and evaluate various IT solutions for acquisition purposes.

Future plans include offering formal courses for IBM, Fortinet, RedHat, Trend Micro and other enterprise solutions.

For training details and inquiry, contact Louie Mae Ladio at (+632) 830-9914 or email lladio@msi-ecs.com.ph. Visit their Education webpage http://www.msi-ecs.com.ph/.

Follow them on Facebook to learn more about their products and services.

Read More »

IP Converge on Going Digital, Consumerization of IT, Growth Engines for SMEs

“There are over 95,000 small to medium enterprises in the country, with each and every one having the potential to grow and compete on a global scale. With a wide assortment of online tools now within reach, there is no better time to be an SME than today,” said Reynaldo Huergas, President of IPC (IP Converge Data Services, Inc.), a local cloud services and data center pioneer.

According to data from the research agency We Are Social, the Philippines harbors an Internet penetration of 44 percent. For businesses, this translates to the opportunity to engage almost half the total population via the Internet, and ultimately, cultivate huge potential for growth.

Filipinos are mobile, with about 32 million active mobile Internet users. This makes going digital and embracing the consumerization of IT, more critical than ever. Enterprises need to reach their customers via various channels such as social media, email and mobile. “People want information in real time and if they can’t get it from you, they’ll get it from your competitors. Business is lost,” said Huergas.

Huergas said that 2016 is also the time to tap big data and analytics. “Big data analytics can give valuable insights about your customers and target market. In essence, it uses statistics to understand customer behavior which allows for more effective campaigns and product or service developments that help achieve optimum results.”

Going digital also requires businesses and their employees to be mobile. They must be able to work remotely, from wherever they are to ensure that operations go on no matter what. For instance, businesses can maximize Google Apps for Work to help them communicate (via Gmail, Calendar, Hangouts, etc.), store (via Drive), and collaborate (via Docs, Sheets, Slides, etc.) with one another. Additionally, there are cloud-based products like Salesforce.com CRM that help businesses in customer relationship management that will allow them to achieve and maintain leadership and profitability.

“Moreover, the World Wide Web has long opened the channels to access international markets. With social media and a myriad of available digital tools, local enterprises can overcome geographical boundaries and access new markets, particularly overseas,” Huergas added.

“There is definitely room for growth in e-commerce in the Philippines and the current data may well be the signal for enterprises to go digital this 2016. This is what our ‘Enterprise Sachet’ model addresses― we afford our entrepreneurs with the same capabilities as larger organizations through IT tools available at affordable, pay-as-you-use packages,” said Huergas.

According to Huergas, enterprises can sign up and pay for IPC’s cloud-based softwares online through major credit cards (MasterCard, Visa, AMEX), over-the-counter cash payments via Dragonpay or popular online payment provider Paypal through the cloud.com.ph portal.

“This is the time to adopt a digital frame of mind. From acquiring business leads to managing our own organizations, online tools have a significant role to play,” Huergas concluded.

Read More »