Using Education to Build skills for Social inclusion Globally: IBM at Coursera Conference 2021

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Improving the job market prospects and quality of work for those disadvantaged needs to be a focus for government agencies, higher education institutions and industry partners alike. Concerted and focused efforts are needed to improve outreach, quality and relevance of education and training, and improve the pathways to the world of work. Given the heterogeneity of disadvantaged groups, such as women, youth, persons with disabilities, workers in rural areas or in the informal economy, migrants or refugees, education and training systems and programs need to:

• Overcome the range of existing barriers of access to education and job opportunities through carefully designed policy intervention
• Respond flexibly to different needs of varied demographics
• Address questions of status and challenge social perceptions which are deep rooted in our culture and societies

IBM had the pleasure of joining Coursera’s leadership team and representatives from a community of over 200 organizations representing more than 75 countries at their 9^th annual conference on April 19^th-20^th. Collectively, we all came together to focus on building a more just world, a world built on skills for social inclusion. There were many sessions that not only informed the attendees of what’s currently being done but also inspired us into thinking about the art of the possible. Even if you missed the conference, you could watch the conference on-demand by registering for free. Here are some highlights for you to consider:

CEO Keynote: The Role of Institutions in Defining the New Normal
Coursera CEO, Jeff Maggioncalda
Managing Director WEF, Saadia Zahidi
The double disruption caused by COVID-19 and automation has fundamentally changed how we live, work, and learn. This session covers how universities, businesses and governments must collaborate to respond to the global skills crisis by increasing access and opportunity to high-quality online learning and well-paying, remote jobs.
Watch Recording (FREE registration required)

The New Learning Leader: Becoming A Capability Champion
Author and Analyst, Josh Bersin
This research-based presentation explores the question of how to move beyond technical skills to build the strategic new capabilities necessary to sustain organizations through changing times. You’ll hear perspectives on

• How workplace learning has evolved
• Discover how new technologies and approaches to learning can help learning leaders become capability champions
• Gain insights into how top companies are taking on capability training responsibilities
• Learn how to incorporate these best practices to drive transformation at your organization.

Watch Recording (FREE Registration Required)

Helping Jobseekers Succeed with Entry-level Professional Certificates
Learning Strategist IBM, Sonia Malik
Partner McKinsey, Saurabh Sanghvi
Director, Grow with Google
Manager Training Goodwill, Becky Currier
Sr. Director Goodwill, Sonya Francis
Gain insights into the benefits and outcomes associated with job-aligned professional Certificate programs. Learn how these career pathways are feeding into degrees, creating diversified talent pipelines, and resulting in tangible career outcomes.
Watch Recording (FREE Registration Required)

Silos and Skills Gaps: Solving Challenges through Collaboration
Learning Strategist IBM, Sonia Malik
Director of Education University of London, Sam Brenton
Researcher Lund University, Dr Jessika Richter
Sr. Vice President SAS, Sean O’Brien
Managing Director SAS, Lynette Clunies-Ross
Professor in Marketing Macquarie University, Lan Snell
A conversation with representatives from leading university and industry partners as they share insights regarding how they’re using the Coursera platform to break down silos and address skill gaps through strategic collaboration.
Watch Recording (FREE Registration Required)

Leveraging Stackability to Increase Engagement and Extend Brand Reach
Head of Industry Partnerships Coursera, Kheil McIntyre
Director of Interpretation MOMA, Sara Bodinson
Program Director IBM, Rav Ahuja
Head of Cloud Learning Portfolio Google, Brian Rice
Product Director Deeplearning, Ryan Keenan
Discover why stackability is a powerful tool when building an online program and learn why stackable content is so attractive to learners. See how brands are reaching new audiences and developing stackable learning content to maximize learner engagement, develop a community of fans, and empower brand advocates. Gain insight into how to build a stackable learning content pipeline.
Watch Recording (FREE Registration Required)

IBM has a diverse portfolio on Coursera with programs aligned with entry level jobs to more advanced for those looking to upskill themselves. Upon completion of most programs, learners will be awarded with Digital credentials which are a verifiable record of the skills attained.

Entry-level Career Pathways

IBM Data Analyst with Python
IBM Data Analyst with Python (Spanish)
IBM Data Analytics with Excel and R
IBM CycberSecurity Analyst
IBM Full Stack Cloud Developer

Other Programs

IBM AI Enterprise Workflow
IBM Applied AI
IBM Applied AI (Spanish)
IBM AI Engineering
IBM Machine Learning
IBM Data Science
IBM Data Science (Spanish)
IBM z/OS Mainframe Practitioner

About the author
Sonia Malik is a learning professional with over 30 years of experience spanning two continents with expertise in P&L management, alliance development, channel management, program management, curriculum development, product development, and business development in both large-scale learning organizations as well as corporations. With a background deeply rooted in learning, she has spent her entire career helping organizations develop learning experiences focused on driving their strategic objectives.