The University of Technology Sydney has partnered with Telstra to deliver a suite of micro-credentials for the telco’s staff and broader community.
Over 80 Telstra employees will be the first to experience UTS’ inaugural micro-credential offering, comprising online courses on data analysis, artificial intelligence and machine learning.
The three eight-week programs were developed in conjunction with Telstra on the back of a deal the telco signed with multiple universities in November last year to provide continuous training and development opportunities to staff amid Telstra’s continued restructuring of its workforce.
The first three micro credentials are:
- Data analysis foundations – understand the value and power of data, master key concepts and terminology, explore clustering and analysis techniques, and begin analysing and visualising data sets
- Advanced data analytics – explore research and practical techniques in data analytics, covering the knowledge and capacity to initiate and conduct data mining research and development projects
- Introduction to machine learning – basic learning models, including decision trees and linear families, demonstrate the theory of machine learning as well as its real-world application.
The subjects will involve five hours of learning a week for eight weeks, which includes a weekly live online online tutorial, and a further two weeks for assessment completion and submission.
Courses will open to the broader public from July, aligning with the federal government’s push for micro-credentials to play a part in COVID-19 recovery efforts by helping struggling industries and retrenched workers reskill for new jobs.
Alex Badenoch, Telstra’s group executive for transformation, communications and people, said that building a pipeline of technology talent in Australia is an “urgent issue” pre-COVID, with an expected shortfall of ICT workers estimated at 60,000 over the next five years.
“We now need to boost numbers at a much faster rate to support our nation’s transforming businesses and the digitisation of our economy," Badenoch said.
UTS deputy vice-chancellor Glenn Wightwick said the university is pleased to contributed its research and academic expertise to support skill development.
“In offering micro-credentials for the first time, UTS also looks forward to helping to boost skill levels in the broader technology community and providing Australian business with expanded pools of talented workers in critical areas,” Wightwick said.
The university is also working to develop further micro-credentials, and is already in discussions with other enterprises about participation in the program.
