{"id":51716,"date":"2022-07-28T19:22:00","date_gmt":"2022-10-18T19:22:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/?p=51716"},"modified":"2022-12-21T14:43:41","modified_gmt":"2022-12-21T03:43:41","slug":"how-salesforce-is-increasing-access-to-tech-jobs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/au\/blog\/how-salesforce-is-increasing-access-to-tech-jobs\/","title":{"rendered":"How Salesforce Is Increasing Access to Tech Jobs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Here at Salesforce, our company values don\u2019t simply translate to a poster tacked to a whiteboard or a slide deck brought out during company meetings. Our core company values<\/a> of trust, innovation, customer success, and equality are deeply ingrained in the work we do each day. Through our commitment to equality and innovation, I\u2019ve been privileged to be involved in launching a Salesforce Developer program<\/a> with not-for-profit (NFP), Generation Australia<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The team at Generation Australia designs programs for adults who may not have access to formal education or opportunities to reskill \u2014 be it neurodiverse learners, new migrants or parents returning to the workforce after a career break. More importantly, it provides qualification and job readiness skills, without placing a financial burden on participants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is the program?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This 14-week program prepares students to become qualified Salesforce developers. But we knew we didn\u2019t want the graduate\u2019s learnings to be purely technical. We wanted to layer the formal qualification with soft skills that would help program participants thrive in the workforce. We also wanted to show the students how they could apply transferable skills from their previous careers to a new field. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

My team spoke with our partners at Talent Alliance<\/a> to identify the technical and soft skills that would be beneficial for course participants to learn about. Thanks to their tangible insights, we worked together with Generation Australia to design a comprehensive program that combined work-readiness skills along with a qualification. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWith the rapid digitisation that\u2019s occurred in Australia in the last 12 months, more needs to be done to upskill Australians to get into emerging roles in technology; at pace and at scale,\u201d says Malcolm Kinns, Chief Executive Officer, Generation Australia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBespoke CRM solutions are a key part of what will help newly-digitising businesses keep up in 2022 and beyond. We\u2019re proud to make this Salesforce Developer program our third technology program that\u2019s providing more opportunities for tech careers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Addressing digital skills shortages in Australia<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Salesforce surveyed people across 19 countries<\/a> to gauge their readiness to acquire digital skills. One thing was clear: Australia is facing a significant digital skills gap. Fifty-five percent of Australians felt only somewhat digital-ready, while a whopping 85% of respondents don\u2019t feel adequately equipped to upskill in this realm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And as automation changes or replaces existing jobs, we need to act \u2014 and fast. \u201cFor businesses to thrive today and over the next five years, we need to nurture our workforce to be digitally fluent,\u201d says Alexandra McDonald, Senior Director of Sustainability, Skills and Reconciliation here at Salesforce.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd yet, we’re facing a widening digital skills gap in Australia<\/a>. Our partnership with Generation Australia is one way we\u2019re unlocking the talents of diverse groups and matching education opportunities with the digital skills demand.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Graduates of this program can pursue careers in development, but it also sets them on the path for other specialties (some that would require further training or on-the-job learning). Opportunities could span fields like DevOps, product management or even consulting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Findings<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Creating pathways for placement<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re also invested in helping program participants find meaningful work by connecting employers and Generation Australia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis Salesforce developer program is a fast-tracked pathway into an in-demand, career-launching job. The program provides employers with motivated and skilled entry-level Salesforce Development talent, to fill the skills gap in this growing sector,\u201d explains Kinns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jason Potts is a Talent Acquisition Manager at an Australian consultancy that specialises in Salesforce. He recently helped recruit a graduate to join his company as an Associate Salesforce Developer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs a Salesforce Summit partner we\u2019re conscious of our responsibility to provide entry-level opportunities in the market. I appreciate how Generation Australia are opening the door for people who wouldn\u2019t necessarily come up in a LinkedIn search,\u201d says Potts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The recruitment process was straightforward, says Potts. Generation Australia suggested some candidates based on the skills they were looking for, and from there they went through the company\u2019s usual recruitment process. \u201cAll the candidates we interviewed were great and it was actually a difficult hiring decision in the end.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re thrilled to be able to provide someone with an opportunity to kickstart their Salesforce career!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learning from mentors<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re also connecting graduates with mentors who can help guide them in taking the next step in their careers. A student who met with a mentor shared how beneficial she found the process: \u201cMy mentor helped me to further navigate the ecosystem and advised me on how to stay connected and get a job. It’s been a fantastic help!\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the benefit goes both ways. Just ask Calvin Noronha, a Salesforce Certified Technical Architect. A big fan of mentoring, he was excited for an opportunity to give back. \u201cI believe it\u2019s never too late to start or change anything. What resonated with me about the Generation Australia program is how it\u2019s open to people of all ages and gives them the opportunity to transform their careers.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI had a wonderful discussion with my mentee, Cherie. She asked a lot of well-researched and specific questions about pursuing a career in the Salesforce ecosystem,\u201d says Noronha. \u201cOne of the key things I stressed is that a lot of her work experience could still be carried forward into a new role, so having a business and technical lens will be very important.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThough I was the \u2018mentor\u2019 here, Cherie taught me new things too and helped me to put some things into perspective,\u201d says Noronha. The pair ended their session with some action items they could both work on and made plans to meet up again. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPrograms like this one are so important. They help program participants find fulfilling careers, while also connecting employers to skilled workers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Thinking<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Preparing our workforce for the tech jobs of future<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

An initiative like this one is our opportunity to make the tech sector look more like our society. Having a range of perspectives in the field is critical for shaping the very products we\u2019re designing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far in 2022, we\u2019ve had two program cohorts, the first graduating in March of this year and the second in June, with more programs to come in the future.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEvery Australian deserves to feel confident that they have a place in our digital economy and that they have access to the skills to thrive in it,\u201d says McDonald. \u201cWe\u2019re excited to invest in our digital future and help Australians of all backgrounds become job-ready.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Learn<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Read more<\/h6>\n\n\n\n