Singapore becomes a lightning rod for Google investment

Google has revealed a package of new investments for Singapore that include opening a new data centre, securing an AI partnership with the government, and expanding its training programme.

Google has officially opened a new data centre facility in Jurong, bringing its total data centre investment in the state to $850 million, spread across two other sites opened in 2011 and 2015. The tech giant underlined that Singapore is a regional hub for its network of data centres, cloud regions, and subsea cables, which connect the country to the rest of the APAC region and the world.

This has coincided with a move by Google Cloud to partner with the Smart Nation and Digital Government Group (SNDGG) to strengthen AI cooperation in Singapore. The effort is being led by Singapore’s National AI Office and is the first public-private AI partnership with a global tech company. The tech giant is set to work with the AI office and other government agencies to co-create and scale AI products in key sectors like finance, sustainability, and healthcare.

Finally, Google is also introducing an enhanced traineeship programme, opening up a new career certificate and expanding its employer consortium across the country.

Launched in 2020, Skills Ignition SG was a collaboration between government and industry to provide both digital skills training and hands-on work experience to individuals. It’s seen over 5,500 people learn new digital skills since its launch, and stated that three out of four trainees from the previous cohort were able to find new jobs within six months of graduation.

Now, the programme will introduce an enhanced traineeship programme to host 60 trainees at Google. Selected trainees will undergo 12-months of full-time training in digital marketing or professional cloud architecture, extended beyond the previous duration of nine months. Applications are now open to graduates and mid-career professionals.

Singapore became the first country in Southeast Asia to house a Google Cloud office back in 2007, consisting of around 24 employees. Now, fifteen years later, Google’s Singapore operations have grown to over 3,000 people, leading its efforts to support around 2.5 billion people online across the region.

“We’re looking forward to delivering on these new commitments, strengthening our relationships with partners in government and the community, and helping many more Singaporeans make the most of the opportunities that technology creates,” said Ben King, managing director of Google in Singapore. “Here’s to many more years of strong partnership between Google and Singapore.”

This isn’t the first time Google has increased its investment in Singapore. In July 2021, it expanded its training programme from 3,000 to 3,600 participants, as the country increased its focus on fostering local tech talent.

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