RMIT Online has extended its partnership with global education provider, Udacity, doubling down on its commitment to make upskilling in critical fields more widely accessible. The alliance between Udacity and RMIT Online was designed to address skill shortages and help fill growing job vacancies by equipping Aussies with the skills they need for the future of work.
What does this mean for Australia’s skilling industry?
Udacity, which has worked with Silicon Valley giants like Google, Facebook and NVIDIA, gives students skills to advance their careers through online courses in hands-on tech in high-demand subjects. Following the launch of courses in 2018, the new suite of courses include Flying Car and Autonomous Flight Engineer, Deep Learning, Ethical Hacker, and Ethical AI.
Research from RMIT Online and Deloitte Access Economics, titled Ready, Set, Upskill, found the digital skills gap – the gulf between our current industry skill set and realising the true potential of a resilient, agile, Australian workforce – is costing Australian businesses $3.1 billion annually. Students will enjoy a world-class learning experience combined with personalised support from global experts, all while earning a University-backed credential.
RMIT Online CEO Nic Cola said: “The future of work is moving at increasing speeds. Jobs that literally didn’t exist 10 years ago are quickly becoming highly sought after, leaving professionals scrambling to update their skill set. At RMIT Online, we firmly believe the best chance we have to remain competitive on a global stage is to partner alongside the best to broaden our current skill set, with a focus on in-demand and emerging tech sectors.”
What does this mean for Udacity?
Udacity CEO Kai Roemmalt commented: “We cannot ignore the marked shifts we’re already seeing unfold across the world, with industry leaders investing heavily in artificial intelligence and machine learning tech. Being able to capitalise on these technological advancements means democratising education and upskilling for the next generation of workers.”
Udacity Regional Vice President Phil Duggan said: “Tech skills are now becoming the central nervous system for all firms regardless of role types or functions. When these skills are in high demand yet low supply, it presents an opportunity for organisations to reskill or upskill their employees through an applied learning model supported by highly vetted practitioners.”
“RMIT Online has successfully collaborated with Udacity over previous years, and we are excited about this next phase. This partnership enables us to offer Udacity via a localised approach to all Enterprises and Organisations in Australia that wish to advance their digital strategies through a ‘learn-by-doing’ methodology to digital competency development.”
RMIT Online remains the only Australian University to offer internationally backed courses through Udacity. All courses are expected to open for enrolment from 15 August here.
