7.2 billion. That’s how many people there are in the world. Among them, we have:
- 3 billion active internet users
- 2 billion active social media accounts
- 3.6 billion unique mobile users
Did you know there are more mobile users in the world than there are toothbrushes?
In today’s world, every company is a technology company. Regardless of the industry, whether it’s banking, healthcare, industrials or consumables, these companies are all looking for the right workforce to help them succeed. What are we, in the United States, doing to address the new skills needed for the 21st century? Despite the fact that there are over half a million open technology jobs in the US today, there are millions of frontline Americans working in low-wage jobs. These are workers who can pivot into new career tracks and improve their standard of living, if only they were trained with the right skills.
Today, the White House is hosting a summit for employers, labor unions, educators, technologists and foundations to discuss how to upskill hardworking Americans as a part of the Upskill America initiative, an employer-led movement to expand economic opportunity for American workers.
Udacity is excited to be a part of this powerful initiative that will not only have a significant impact on our overall economy, but also on the lives of the millions of people who will get the training necessary to break into new and exciting roles in technology.
Recognizing that digital skills are critical for the 21st century workforce, Capital One will expand its efforts to provide its call center associates with pathways to develop the skills required for entry-level software engineering positions by offering them the Nanodegree curriculum.
In collaboration with AT&T Aspire, we are committing 500 Nanodegree scholarships to Year Up participants around the country. Year Up offers a free, one-year, intensive training program empowering low-income young adults to succeed in professional careers and higher education. AT&T also committed to hiring 100 Year Up graduates after the program.
Everyone is capable of developing new skills throughout their lives, and we’re excited to help American workers around the country climb higher and achieve their goals.
