In partnership with the Vocational Training Authority of Sri Lanka (VTA), Facebook has launched a series of training sessions to help Sri Lankans upskill their digital capabilities. The initiative is a part of Facebook’s flagship We Think Digital program, and has been designed with the objective to help the vocational sector understand the digital landscape better and equip students with skills to build successful careers.
Through the “Train the Trainer” program, close to 1,300 VTA trainers will receive training and in turn, they will teach students on topics such as changes in digital landscape, e-learning, online content creation, digital tools for businesses, and responsible digital citizenship. VTA trains 40,000 students annually; this platform will help impart critical knowledge to them as they prepare for the digital age.
The program was launched through a virtual event, which was attended by several distinguished participants.
Findings from a recent Facebook and Deloitte study titled “Deloitte Digital Tools in Crisis and Recovery Report” revealed that 70% consumers who switched to new small businesses reported that social media helped them to discover these new small businesses, indicating the valuable role that social media can play in highlighting products and services with minimum cost. It also shows that 66% of consumers have done more communication with businesses via social media or digital tools since COVID-19 and reported that they found Facebook important for communicating with businesses.
This launch is a continuation of Facebook’s commitment to upskill Sri Lankans in both digital literacy and digital citizenship. Last year, Facebook launched We Think Digital, a nationwide digital literacy program that aims to develop skills that enable Sri Lankans to create a positive and safe culture online.