CARSOME & Microsoft partner to upskill women employees

CARSOME, Southeast Asia’s largest integrated car e-commerce platform, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Microsoft to launch the Code; Without Barriers initiative in efforts to collectively grow women’s participation and leadership in tech. The program will run for one year, and it aims to strengthen enablers that are key to providing women with access to innovation and technology-related opportunities.

Women employees across CARSOME’s operations in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Singapore will have access to upskilling courses, hackathons or skills challenges, and mentorship programs in the areas of Cloud, Artificial Intelligence, and Technology.

CARSOME Group President & Chief Financial Officer, Juliet Zhu, announced that the company would digitally upskill 30% of its women employees by 2026 in offices across Southeast Asia, especially in the areas of Artificial Intelligence, Data, and Technology.

“Promoting diversity and equity in tech and innovation-centric areas will not only benefit our employees and the organization, but it also supports the transition towards equitable digital first societies

“There is strong demand for skilled tech talent across the region, and our collaboration with Microsoft through the Code; Without Barriers program will enable women in CARSOME to access a range of upskilling programs to enhance employability and participate more equitably in the growth of these industries,” said Zhu.

Developers and Digital Natives at Microsoft Asia Pacific Director Annie Mathew said, “Code; Without Barriers was incubated in APAC, and it’s the first program to bring together a coalition of developers, industries, businesses, and allies to literally do just that…break barriers for women in tech! We’re excited to have CARSOME join us to empower a new generation of women in technology across Southeast Asia, as we together, drive a more inclusive digital economy in Asia Pacific.”

A recent World Economic Forum study across several global markets found that only 26% of professionals in data and AI are women, and only 12% are cloud computing professionals. Despite a strong record among Southeast Asian technology companies to hire women, the region is still nowhere close to reaching true parity in the number of women who work in tech compared with other industries. To close this gender gap, the collaboration between CARSOME and Microsoft aims to enhance employability for women, create a more equal workforce, and establish a strong ecosystem and community of women leaders in artificial intelligence and technology to accelerate national digital transformation and innovation.

This collaboration also cements CARSOME’s ambition to help drive Southeast Asia’s digital transformation while contributing to the growth of its employees’ careers.