Press Release | Gütersloh, 09/15/2020

Bertelsmann Launches Round Two of Its #50000Chances Digital Initiative with Another 15,000 Tech Scholarships

• Hands-on Udacity courses in the fields of Cloud, Data, and Artificial Intelligence
• Bertelsmann CEO Thomas Rabe: “The worldwide demand for digital skills is enormous”
• Applications now open

Bertelsmann is launching the second round of its #50000Chances digital initiative, under which 50,000 tech skills scholarships on the online learning platform Udacity will be awarded through 2021. The 15,000 participants in the first round have already largely completed their courses; now interested parties can apply for another 15,000 scholarships for Udacity courses in the fields of Cloud, Data and Artificial Intelligence. Applications are now being accepted at www.udacity.com/bertelsmann-tech-scholarships  . Ten percent of the graduates will be offered a follow-on scholarship for a full Nanodegree® program.

With the Udacity Technology Scholarship Program under the motto #50000Chances, Bertelsmann seeks to counteract the shortage of skilled workers in the tech sector and empower interested parties worldwide to acquire the digital skills needed for tomorrow’s job market.

Udacity, a global pioneer in lifelong learning, is an online education platform that develops practical online courses and learning paths in collaboration with leading tech companies. Bertelsmann is the company’s strategic partner and one of its largest shareholders.

Last year, around 45,600 people from six continents applied for the 15,000 first-round scholarships; 2,300 applications were submitted by Bertelsmann employees. In round two, the media, services and education company will again run an extensive image campaign and target applicants directly.

Bertelsmann Chairman & CEO Thomas Rabe said: “Response to our scholarship program has already been huge, which reinforces our resolve to get even more people around the world excited about exploring the new technologies. The demand is enormous: a few hundred thousand qualified experts on the supply side vs. demand in the millions. The corona pandemic has in many cases accelerated the transition to digital business models and has once again highlighted the shortage of skilled workers. Bertelsmann feels a responsibility here to create access to the new tech skills and to open up opportunities.”

The Udacity Challenge Courses offered under the initiative each run for three months and require three to five hours a week to complete. Interested parties can choose between three subject areas:

• Cloud, i.e., applications for online-based IT infrastructures
• Data, i.e., applications for the analysis and interpretation of large volumes of data
• Artificial Intelligence, i.e., applications related to machine learning and intelligent algorithms

Applications will be accepted until November 16; the first courses in round two start in December 2020. This time, Bertelsmann is deliberately addressing a broader target group of people who are open to new technologies but have little prior knowledge. The application criteria have also been adjusted to favor maximum diversity among scholarship recipients.

About Bertelsmann
Bertelsmann is a media, services and education company that operates in about 50 countries around the world. It includes the broadcaster RTL Group, the trade book publisher Penguin Random House, the magazine publisher Gruner + Jahr, the music company BMG, the service provider Arvato, the Bertelsmann Printing Group, the Bertelsmann Education Group and Bertelsmann Investments, an international network of funds. The company has 126,000 employees and generated revenues of €18.0 billion in the 2019 financial year. Bertelsmann stands for creativity and entrepreneurship. This combination promotes first-class media content and innovative service solutions that inspire customers around the world. Bertelsmann aims to be carbon-neutral by 2030.

About Udacity
Udacity is a global lifelong learning platform connecting education to jobs and providing students with skills to advance careers. Its mission is to train the world’s workforce in the careers of the future. Udacity Nanodegree® programs provide credentials earned through a series of online courses and projects in an array of subjects from self-driving cars and AI to data science and digital marketing. Udacity collaborates with more than 200 global employer-partners to close talent gaps. Its investors include Bertelsmann, Andreessen Horowitz, Charles River Ventures and Drive Capital. For more information, please visit www.udacity.com  .