Digital transformation has become a key item on the agenda of every organisation and even government.
At the ASEAN World Economic Forum this year, Viet Nam is joining nine other countries to not only celebrate the 50th anniversary of ASEAN, but also to discuss the challenges of the 4th industrial revolution, the technological revolution.
Technology offers great solutions to various persistent problems, thus pointing to the need for digital transformation globally as well as in Viet Nam.
A recent report by Microsoft and IDC titled “Unlocking the Economic Impact of Digital Transformation in Asia Pacific” pointed out that 84 per cent of business leaders in Southeast Asia acknowledge that every organisation needs to transform into a “digital business” to sustain growth.
However, uncertainties remain when it comes to digital transformation.
Asia-Pacific organisations consider shortage of skilled human resource their biggest challenge.
Asian digital transformation leaders point out that organisations today must relook at training and reskilling its workforce so that talent is equipped with future-ready skill sets such as complex problem-solving, critical thinking and creativity for the digital economy.
At the same time they need to put in processes to retain and attract key digital talent, but also be open to creating a flexible work-source model that lets them tap into skills-based marketplaces.
“Given the right technology is utilised, businesses can digitally transform successfully, which will lead to economic transformation as a whole,” Pham The Truong, Country General Manager of Microsoft Vietnam, said.
“And to ensure the right technology is used, it all started with people first.”
Building technological capabilities should be the priority of countries to have more productive, knowledge-based industries with knowledge-based workforces that are digitally literate.
With a US$3 million commitment in 2015, Microsoft has partnered with local authorities and non-profits to equip young people with digital skills through training, coaching and education in cities and rural areas.
More than 200,000 youths have been empowered with digital skills, and the employment rate among those who participated in Microsoft’s career programmes is 70 to 90 per cent.
To achieve scale, more than 2,000 educators were also trained in how to teach computer science in an inclusive way.
“Skilling our young people is critical,” Truong said.
“Empower them with the right skillset, and I believe Viet Nam will shine bright in the race for digital transformation.”
This year at the Microsoft Imagine Cup APAC Finale, the Smart Car Box created by the BeeTech team from Viet Nam won the People’s Choice Award. Using technology like machine learning and cloud computing, Smart Car Box notifies car owners before there is an actual breakdown.
Held annually since 2003, Microsoft Imagine Cup is the world’s premier student technology competition, and is known affectionately by participants as the “Olympics of student technology competitions”.
Its mission is to enable future generations to showcase their ingenuity in leveraging the power of modern technologies to solve some of the world’s pressing problems.
Beside upskilling and reskilling of the future and current workforce, encouraging entrepreneurship is also one of the answers to this specific challenge.
Earlier this year “Microsoft for Startups” was announced, a new programme that delivers access to technology, go-to-market and community benefits that helps start-ups grow their customer and revenue base.
Microsoft has committed US$500 million over the next two years to offer joint sales engagements to start-ups, access to its technology and new community spaces that promote collaboration across local and global eco-systems. Start-ups are an indisputable innovation engine, and Microsoft is partnering with founders and investors to help propel their growth.