Snowflake, the AI Data Cloud company, has announced the launch of its One Million Minds + One Platform initiative. This ambitious program aims to train and certify over 100,000 users on the Snowflake AI Data Cloud by 2027, offering free access to learners. Furthermore, the program is set to upskill one million individuals in data and AI by 2029, backed by a substantial $20 million investment from Snowflake.
Through this initiative, Snowflake will provide globally accessible training and certification courses, targeting students and workers in high-growth and emerging markets. The program includes curriculum resources for educators, as well as credits for Snowflake platform usage, unlocking opportunities for individuals to develop competitive AI and data expertise.
A 2024 Gallup poll highlights the urgency of such initiatives, with 22% of workers expressing fears about job obsolescence due to technologies like generative AI. Additionally, 72% of Fortune 500 CHROs predict AI will replace some roles in their organizations within the next three years. As the job market evolves, professionals must adopt advanced skill sets to remain relevant and provide value to future enterprises.
“To succeed in this digital age, every employee must be equipped with the skills that enable them to contribute in a data and AI-centric world,” said Sridhar Ramaswamy, CEO of Snowflake. “This requires that AI must not only be accessible for users at every skill level, but that users also have knowledge of how these applications work across the data lifecycle, as well as how to best engage with them. Through our investment, Snowflake is giving academic institutions and workers in regions around the world the tools and training to build successful careers as the technologists and founders of tomorrow.”
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Program Highlights
The One Million Minds + One Platform initiative is designed to empower students and workers to build and expand their expertise in the Snowflake AI Data Cloud platform. The program focuses on two key areas:
1. Snowflake for Academia
To cultivate the next generation of AI, data, and application professionals, Snowflake provides students with complimentary access to:
- Snowflake software
- Training materials
- Industry-leading data curriculum and training resources for educators
The Snowflake for Academia program equips educators with the tools to become certified on Snowflake and deliver classroom-ready training. Certified educators gain access to teaching resources, from foundational courses to advanced self-paced tutorials, along with Academia Lab access for an entire semester at no cost.
“The role of academia is to expose students to the various kinds of people, tools, and technologies they’ll encounter in the real world,” said Nate Crawford, Software Engineering & Data Science Faculty at the University of St. Thomas. “Through the no-cost Snowflake for Academia program curriculum, as well as the free Snowflake credits, we’ve been able to deliver a robust course that provides essential skills to those soon to enter what is a rapidly changing work landscape. Exposure to these technologies at this stage plants the seed for future leaders and supports the development of the skillsets employers are looking for in candidates.”
In the next year, Snowflake plans to double its enrollment of educators and academic institutions worldwide to certify students on the Snowflake platform.
2. Snowflake Training for High-Growth and Emerging Markets
To bridge the skills gap in regions with burgeoning technological growth, Snowflake will introduce tailored Snowflake Platform Trainings. These live, instructor-led courses are designed for individuals with limited Snowflake experience. Participants will gain hands-on knowledge of the AI Data Cloud and develop the confidence needed to support their organizations’ data transformation journeys.
