If you entered the workforce in the 90’s Lotus, or Excel were THE skills to have on your resume. Over the years we’ve seen a progression through Access, PowerPoint, Publisher and the rest of the Microsoft Suite. All still good skills to have, but according to an October 2017 IDC White Paper:
“Worldwide, Salesforce and its ecosystem are expected to enable the creation of 3.3 million jobs within the Salesforce customer base from the use of cloud computing between the end of 2016 and the end of 2022.”
3.3 MILLION. That’s a lot of jobs and a lot of workforce to train. Here at Cloud Next Level we believe that Salesforce administrator and developer skills are the “Next Level” of job skills necessary in today’s workforce and we’re here to help you be ready for that.
Ninety percent of today’s jobs already have a digital component and the digital skills gap is a burden on businesses and the economy. Some people are calling this the fourth industrial revolution, one driven by changes in technology. For students, if they want great jobs that can transform their lives, they need to be ready with the skills that employers are looking for as they enter the workforce. It’s not your parents job search anymore. Many employers no longer require applicants to present them with the traditional array of exam results and course load to become part of the workforce. Rather, they are looking for well-rounded individuals, who can adapt to ever-changing circumstances and apply a range of skills to the role.
Investing in the Future….
Salesforce itself has invested in the future digital workforce through their philanthropic work, empower young people to build the future they deserve by connecting them to greater opportunities in education, training, and employment.
Salesforce.org, the philanthropic arm of Salesforce announced in September that it would donate $12.2 million to San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) and Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) to expand computer science education in Bay Area public schools. This marks the fifth consecutive year of Salesforce.org’s partnership with SFUSD and the second year of partnership with OUSD, bringing Salesforce.org’s total investment in the districts to $34.7 million. Support for STEM programs is changing the way that students in the Bay Area are learning, helping them prepare for tomorrow’s shifting trends. Since Salesforce.org formed its partnership with SFUSD five years ago, San Francisco has become the very first urban, public school district in the United States to have a computer science curriculum for every grade. Enrollment of girls in computer science has increased from nearly 200 to more than 3,800, and enrollment of underrepresented groups in computer science has increased from less than 100 to more than 3,800. Today, computer science enrollment mirrors the SFUSD community demographic with females and underrepresented groups each making up nearly half of overall enrollment.
The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council Student Entrepreneur Program (WBENC SEP) is a premier startup program that fosters growth for the next generation of women-owned businesses. While this is not specifically Salesforce focused, since its inception in 2008, nearly 200 students from 80+ colleges and universities across the country have graduated from SEP. Aspiring collegiate female entrepreneurs studying in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) or Business receive mentoring from some of the most successful Women’s Business Enterprises (WBEs) and America’s largest Fortune 500 companies while also participating in a tailored entrepreneurial curriculum, a pitch competition awarding $20,000 in seed capital and experiential learning through off-site visits to WBEs, corporate campuses, and accelerators. The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council is dedicated to supporting women in the workforce as well as women preparing for the workforce. They see the need for outstanding preparation and they are addressing it in tangible ways.
But…. What about training in those very specific Salesforce skills needed in today’s workplace?
In 2016 Salesforce created Trailhead, an educational program to help anyone get acquainted with and certified in the enterprise platform. Its long-term goal has been to “transform how customers learn to use Salesforce, by radically simplifying and redefining the learning experience.” After its first year, the company reported that 200,000 people were actively using the service, with 1.2 million badges earned. Today it is estimated that there are 1.7 million learners in the trailhead community. The clear need for interactive hands on training was evident.
Other organizations have followed Salesforce’s lead and are training their particular constituents with Salesforce skills using their brilliant and easy to access Trailhead tools.
In January of 2019 The BCI Skills Center in St. Louis Missouri announced the launch of an innovative program to teach adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities the skills needed to gain employment in roles that require knowledge of the Salesforce platform. They implemented a two-month training program that includes technical training along with soft skills coaching in interviewing techniques, workplace communication and collaborating with colleagues.
Southern New Hampshire University has made a name for itself by making education and degrees accessible to all learners in varied places with varied needs. For today’s students, there’s no greater need than learning the skills to fill the most in-demand jobs of a changing economy. In August of 2019 SNHU teamed up with Salesforce to offer college credits. In its partnership with SNHU, Trailhead will create pathways for Trailblazers to earn college credit by completing admin and developer badges, all while gaining critical skills needed in today’s workforce and well into the future.
The credit can be applied as a major elective for applicable IT-related programs or as a free elective towards many of the degree programs we offer. Current and future SNHU students can work on Trailhead modules at any time. Academic advisors will help with applying the right credit towards their program and their transcripts.
What are you doing to up your skill set?
Our experienced team here at Cloud Next Level understands the importance of Salesforce skills in the current workplace. We’ve been through our own training and are excited to be helping others by way of our apprentice program.
What are you doing to boost your skills and how can we help? Give us a call if you’re interested in training for you and your staff.
