Online training provider Coursera has announced a partnership with the Bank of Singapore to equip 2,000 employees with technology and business skills.
The private banking arm of OCBC Bank will adopt the specialist’s enterprise platform, Coursera for Business, which allows enterprise organisations to tap into “high-quality” online learning content.
Specifically, Bank of Singapore employees will have access to courses across cyber security and data science, including investment management, personal development and leadership domains.
“With the pace at which emerging technologies are impacting the nature of jobs, it is crucial for companies to up-skill their workforce,” said Raghav Gupta, director of India and Asia Pacific at Coursera.
“The banking sector is undergoing a massive digital transformation leading to a huge skills gap in its workforce.”
Designed for 2,000 staff - 500 of which are based in Dubai, Hong Kong and Manila - the partnership will also leverage the expertise of Johns Hopkins University, Columbia University and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Other education institutions include Macquarie University, University of Washington, University of London and Duke University.
“Employees are increasingly looking to take more ownership of their learning and development,” added Stephenie Teo, head of learning and development at Bank of Singapore.
“This tie-up with Coursera would allow our employees, including those based in overseas markets, to choose courses which they find most relevant to them personally and professionally.
“This would make their learning journey more productive and meaningful. We are providing a viable alternative to the traditional format of training, where employees sit down for hours in a classroom to attend a course.
“Now, our employees can get real-time access to the training material any time they want.”
Two years since launching, Coursera for Business has recruited more than 1000 large global enterprises and government organisations, including Axis Bank, Tata Communications and Infosys, alongside L'Oreal, PayPal and JP Morgan Chase.
