In a first-of-its kind partnership, Southeast Asian eCommerce company Lazada Group is
partnering with higher education institutes and data analytics experts to jointly develop online
and offline training courses for entrepreneurs and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to
become more efficient and cash in on the ecommerce boom.
Launched in 2012, Lazada is a leading online shopping and selling destination in South east
Asia – present in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The
group is a subsidiary of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group.
Lazada has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to formalise the partnership with
Nanyang Polytechnic’s Singapore Institute of Retail Studies (SIRS), Singapore National
Employers Federation (SNEF), Singapore-based data analytics firm Sparkline, and Singapore
University of Social Sciences.
This is part of Lazada’s commitment to empower sellers with the right tools and build an
ecosystem within which they can grow. Here in Singapore, the company is taking it one step
further as it sees synergies with the government’s go-digital push and the growth of
ecommerce in Singapore and Southeast Asia. It hopes to work with partners to bring these
programmes to the rest of its markets.
“Thanks to the expertise of the partners that we have brought together today, we are able to enrich the offerings on Lazada University to help our 155,000 sellers across the region
become more knowledgeable in ecommerce operations and opportunities both in Singapore
and South east Asia. Lazada sees it as our mission to help the sellers on our platform grow
and are happy to work with like-minded organisations,” said Alexis Lanternier, Chief
Executive Officer, Lazada Singapore.
More than 1,000 people, ranging from existing and new sellers on Lazada, SME owners,
professionals, managers and operational staff, are expected to complete courses between
April to December 2018. Topics covered include supply chain and inventory management,
introduction to data analytics and how business owners can sell efficiently and effectively in
South east Asia’s ecommerce market. All courses are in English and courses will be available
on Lazada University’s new online learning management system.
The courses will provide advanced knowledge in ecommerce operations and address critical
topics to improve online selling performance.
"By equipping individuals and companies with relevant knowledge that will advance their
skills in e-commerce, they can look to a near future where they can do better business online
and leverage the rapid growth of ecommerce in Singapore and South east Asia,” added
Lanternier.
For example, SUSS offers a course on supply chain management, where participants can
learn how to apply an effective design option for a distribution or transport network. Others,
like data analytics company Sparkline, will offer a Google Analytics reporting course that
shows how participants can convert visitors to customers.
The new system enables sellers to access training materials on their phones, making training
more convenient and on-the-go. Singaporeans above 25-year-old will be able to use their
SkillsFuture Credit to offset for two existing courses – Getting started on Lazada
(Onboarding)and Implement Innovative Change.
Professor Cheong Hee Kiat, president of SUSS, added:”The courses contribute to the
national agenda of upskilling our society, creating positive social impact and improving
lives.”
