Over the past decade, information and communications technology has evolved exponentially. It has profoundly transformed the way people live, work, and interact with the whole world, redefining the way information is accessed and shared by transcending geographical boundaries.

Today, ICT is revolutionizing industries and economies worldwide, ushering in a digital era where everyone and everything is accessible at one's fingertips.

As the world embarks on this new industrial revolution powered by ICT and Artificial Intelligence, there are myriad opportunities accessible to people regardless of age, race, and educational attainment as long as they are connected to the Internet, and they've got the proper skills.

Growing demand

The emergence of digital careers provides an additional, or even alternative work setup for some. With the emergence of digital careers, there is a growing demand for getting into this industry.

Not many Filipinos, however, are digitally aware, and even if they have an idea about it, many find it challenging to get into because of a lack of skills and because acquiring access into it might be costly.

It is precisely because of such considerations that the Rotaract Club of Makati, along with the Rotary Club of Makati, Rotaract Club of STI College Pasay — EDSA, and Kadakareer — the community-based career development platform for people, particularly the youth, wanting to launch a digital career — launched recently the "B.E.T.T.E.R. Kareer: Introduction to Digital Careers" project.

B.E.T.T.ER., which stands for Bringing Enhancement Through Trainings for the Empowerment of Rotaractors, is an annual sustainable project of the Rotaract Club of Makati under Professional Development Service.

Introduction to digital careers

This year, B.E.T.T.E.R aims to introduce digital careers to Rotaractors and help them develop skills to start them in their chosen profession. This endeavor is in partnership with the Rotaract Clubs of Bagong Sandigan, Chinatown-Manila, Makati-West, Manila, Malabon Highlands, Metro SFDM and St. Louis University.

The event, held last 28 October at the MRCFI Building in Guadalupe Viejo, Makati was graced with inspirational messages from Rotary Club of Makati's New Generations director Julian Lim and Rotarian Tim Jimeno of RAC STI College.

According to Dir. Lim, "it is our responsibility to adopt digital knowledge so as to become relevant and effective in today's generation."

This is why, he said, there is a need to reinforce learning on digital platforms to be able to cope with the dynamics and challenges brought about by digital advancement.

As reinforced as well by Rotarian Jimeno, "knowledge is power."

The ability to know more is an advantage to any career including digital careers. Understanding what pushes us to explore the digital industry is as important as learning the ins and outs of the industry.

This was underscored by the guest speaker, Director and Service Project Chairperson of RC Makati, Director Jose Ramon Villatuya.

Large potential

In his talk, Director Villatuya emphasized that the Philippine market has large potential for digital opportunities.

In 2020, the Philippine digital economy was valued at a total of some P7.5 billion, growing by about 30 percent over the years.

The Philippine government is instrumental to its growth, with the current dispensation pushing greatly for the digitalization of the bureaucracy and stepping up efforts to promote digital opportunities to open the economy to the workforce.

Currently, there is need to address the digital skills gap since the so-called "Philippine digital divide" makes it incumbent for opportunities like curriculum-updating, skill-updating and policy reforms designed to strengthen and improve mechanisms in exploring the digital industry.

The challenge for participants is to act on available resources and prepare for these opportunities.

At the project launch event, program chairperson Princess Angielette Pol discussed the rationale and activity timeline of the project.

B.E.T.T.ER Kareer will run from November 2023 until February 2024, with courses specially designed for digital career strategies and techniques as starting skills for certain digital careers chosen by the beneficiaries themselves.

The event will culminate by March 2024 with beneficiaries expected to be equipped with essential knowledge that can be used to their advantage in embarking on a digital career.

Career assistance platform

Primary partner Kadakareer's role in the project is in the promotion of its service as career assistance platform for anyone inclined to start a digital career.

Kadakareer provides different services which includes coaching sessions, online courses, virtual apprenticeships, webinars and workshops.

Aside from having online sessions conducted by Kadakareer coaches, Kadakareer also promotes application by partnering with various employers for virtual apprenticeship, allowing participants to practice the profession/career they want.

In this manner, it will open doors for participants to showcase their digital skills to these employers, with the latter's' capacity to absorb and potentially offer jobs to the participants.

At the launch event, coaches and representatives from Kadakareer were also present to share their experiences in landing a digital career and improving project participants' effectivity in their chosen career.

Vernon Velasco with Eriss Refuerzo