In just nine months last year, Cumberlands students earned more than 110 IBM digital badges for successfully completing IBM SkillsBuild coursework, preparing them for careers that involve information technology (IT) and business disciplines, such as enterprise data science, DevOps for enterprise business agility, building cloud-based mobile solutions for enterprises, and more.
Computer science faculty members incorporate elements of IBM SkillsBuild instruction within their own classes and recommend that students supplement that instruction by completing free online IBM SkillsBuild coursework, which yield digital badges upon their successful completion. These can be listed on students' resumes, making them more marketable for the IT workforce.
Within Cumberlands' internal databases, students can track their earned IBM SkillsBuild digital badges. Cumberlands' badge listings are linked to real-time, dynamic labor market data and actual local job postings that relate to the course topic, making the digital badges not only a record of achievement, but also a practical tool for career development.
"We are honored to join the effort with IBM and provide our students with new digital tools and techniques," said Zadok Hakim, PhD — Program Director of the master's degree programs in data science, cyber-engineering, and information science. "The collaboration between IBM and Cumberlands will further augment our students' know-how in the new emergent technologies and skills needed to be competitive and keep pace with the changes in the ever-changing digital environment."
In the first year of collaboration between IBM and the university, nine Cumberlands professors participated in the IBM academic program, and 110 students earned IBM digital badges.
This collaboration comes as IBM unveiled the results of a global skills survey conducted with Morning Consult. The study revealed widespread misconceptions about skills and careers in technology and highlighted accessible pathways for students and job seekers to pursue a future in technology.
"We're excited to collaborate with University of the Cumberlands to work toward making technology learning more accessible to everyone," said Justina Nixon-Saintil, IBM Chief Impact Officer. "Through our work with partners, we provide enhanced, free access to tech learning and workplace skills via IBM SkillsBuild. Together, we're committed to investing in the future of tech talent across industries."
IBM and University of the Cumberlands' collaboration is part of IBM's commitment to equipping 30 million people globally with new skills needed for the jobs of tomorrow by 2030. IBM is investing in both the future of work with a holistic, end-to-end ecosystem approach that fosters access to education and training while creating a more diverse pipeline of applicants.
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