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Manila Bulletin devider Business devider UnionBank encourages youth, professionals to 'tech-up'

UnionBank encourages youth, professionals to 'tech-up'

Published Dec 28, 2022 02:26 pm

Aboitiz-controlled Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank) is preparing to relaunch its data science program called the XCELLERATOR next year, part of its “Tech-up Pilipinas” advocacy for the youth, professionals and especially bankers.

In a statement on Wednesday, Dec. 28, UnionBank said its AI and Innovation Center of Excellence or AI & Innovation CoE has already completed the 2022 batch of data science learning and education which was offered for free.

UnionBank Data Science Development Program

The six-week course XCELLERATOR Data Science Development Program, as described by UnionBank, involves a series of hands-on learnings, live remote mentoring through intervention sessions, and a final requirement of a capstone project that participants will need to submit, present and defend.

Participants that will display “exemplary” performance can apply for an internship in the bank’s AI & Innovation CoE.

UnionBank said “successful graduates” can join the bank as interns to help them “advance their career and their learning experience, and even potentially be able to work with the bank in the future.”

UnionBank’s Chief Human Resource Officer, Michelle Rubio, said they want to be a trailblazer in data science and to lead in “tech-ing” up professionals and “aspiring data scientists in the country”.

“We highly encourage students, young professionals, and even those with limited access to education in the upcoming field of data science, to join future batches of XCELLERATOR’s Data Science Development Program under AI & Innovation CoE’s mentorship,” said Rubio.

UnionBank’s AI and Innovation CoE head, Dr. Adrienne Heinrich, said AI and data science is “brimming with opportunities with its diverse applications across functional areas and industries.”

“The XCELLERATOR Data Science Development Program is designed to instill a data-driven mindset among the participants and build their Data Science and AI capabilities that can be applied to address real-world problems and unlock new opportunities,” said Heinrich.

UnionBank said the program has four modules of data science while foundational topics include refreshers on statistics, algebra, calculus, and guides on frequently used programming languages in data science.

It also includes data analytics and preparation for an overview of a typical data science project, specifically detailing business problem formulation, data processing, data extraction, database management, exploratory data analysis, and web scraping, among others, said UnionBank.

The Aboitiz bank originally launched the program in February. The first batch was composed of UnionBankers, employees from other units of the Aboitiz Group, and students from Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, and University of the Philippines.

The second batch which was from May to June were for students from the Asia Pacific College. Meantime, a third batch was again offered last November and there will be “more program runs to be offered in 2023,” said UnionBank.

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