ServiceNow, AICTE sign MoU to equip over 10k techies with digital skills

US-based technology company ServiceNow announced on Tuesday that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) under the Ministry of Education. The goal is to skill over 10,000 students on the ServiceNow Platform in the first year. The MOU marks the first step in a strategic partnership with the potential to scale to 25,000 students within three years.

"This collaboration offers students global and centralized learning opportunities, while equipping them with future-ready skills and capabilities. The MOU will establish a continuing education path with access to ServiceNow Administrator and Developer courses on the Now Learning platform," the statement said. Students will also be introduced to AI technologies, providing valuable insights needed by all prospective employees.

According to the latest research by ServiceNow and Pearson, artificial intelligence and automation will require 16.2 million (approx. 1.6 crore) workers in India to reskill and upskill, while also creating 4.7 million new jobs in the technology sector. Therefore, digital upskilling and reskilling are crucial across industries for achieving professional growth and thriving in the digital age.

Nick Tzitzon, Chief Strategy and Corporate Affairs Officer at ServiceNow, stated that the MOU will enable AICTE affiliated institutes across India to build a pool of qualified talent that will drive the next wave of tech innovation in the country.

T G Sitharam, Chairman of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), said, "Our collaboration with ServiceNow aims to provide students with advanced training in innovative concepts and techniques, along with motivation to explore cutting-edge technologies tailored to their needs. This partnership underscores our commitment to student upskilling and technological literacy, which are essential for their future success."

ServiceNow's RiseUp program is a global initiative designed to empower young engineers with job-ready capabilities and aims to skill one million people with in-demand digital skills worldwide. In India, ServiceNow has launched the University Academic program and has partnered with 20 universities covering 16 states, including Government partnerships, FutureSkills Prime NASSCOM, and ICT Academy of Tamil Nadu. They have trained thousands of students, developing job-ready talent.

The company, headquartered in Santa Clara, California, assists large enterprises in digitizing their workflow. With 20,000 employees worldwide, ServiceNow serves 7,500 customers. Sources indicate that approximately one-fifth of its employees are based in India, where a significant portion of new product offerings is being developed. India is a key driver of ServiceNow's global growth, with all top 10 technology providers and most of the top five banks in India using ServiceNow products.

In March 2022, the company launched two local data center facilities in Mumbai and Bengaluru to help customers meet data residency requirements. In a press release published in July 2023, ServiceNow stated that India has played a crucial role in the development of the company's vendor material management, security incident response, and data loss prevention services. In India, the company serves customers in various industries such as financial services, telecom, and manufacturing.

ServiceNow has also formed partnerships with major IT companies like Infosys, Wipro, and Cognizant. The company plans to double its workforce in the next two to three years and has already provided training to over 18,000 employees, partners, and customers to meet the increasing demand for its product specialists.

In a statement, the company said, "There is a growing need for skilled workers familiar with implementing ServiceNow to help India’s businesses and organizations be at the forefront of the digital wave, improving how we work."

Globally, ServiceNow's revenue for 2022 was $7.245 billion, a 22.88% increase from 2021. It is expected to have ended 2023 with a topline of over $8.5 billion.