Salesforce aims to close UK's digital divide with free skills workshop

Salesforce has announced a new online training programme that aims to improve young people’s business and IT skills.

Launched in partnership with free online learning tool Classof2020, the ‘6 Weeks of Salesforce’ programme covers a range of topics that are deemed in-demand, if not essential, for the contemporary job candidate.

Released over the course of six weeks, the training programme covers marketing, business, developer skills, admin, analytics, finance, career development, Salesforce CRM, as well as skills inherent to starting a career as a Salesforce consultant.

In addition, the training programme will include a six-week podcast series titled ‘A Day in the Life of’, where Salesforce professionals will provide insight into a typical day to demonstrate the skills they have developed and use in their careers. The first episode of the podcast series is now available to stream on the Classof2020 website.

Salesforce also announced plans to create 4.2 million new roles through its ecosystem, which it says will be available by 2024.

By providing young people with the necessary skills, Salesforce aims to close the UK’s digital divide which has been further worsened by the ongoing pandemic. With many students forced to learn from home, many cannot afford proper hardware or don’t have access to a stable internet connection.

Students who have graduated in the last 12 months have had a difficult time finding employment due to the strained financial situation caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Many young people have had their contracts terminated, while companies including Sky, Virgin, and Vodafone reportedly cancelled internships and grad schemes, leaving recent graduates with limited opportunities for employment or work experience.

Earlier this year, the UK government was accused of failing to invest “a single pound" to adults below the digital divide. Helen Milner, chief executive of social change charity The Good Things Foundation, said that the focus of the digital divide has mainly been on children since going into a third lockdown, while deciding to snub those over the age of 18.

"The government has done quite a lot around the child part of the digital divide. But for adults, the government have not invested a single extra pound on adult digital inclusion, be that around devices, or be that around skills,” Milner told IT Pro.