The Record - Issue 18: Autumn 2020

78 www. t e c h n o l o g y r e c o r d . c om I NT E R V I EW encouraged Lacerda to sign up. “I knew I wouldn’t have to wait years to be able to change my career and the deferred tuition option of the job guaran- tee also meant I could upskill even though I was unemployed at the time,” he explains. Shortly after graduating, Lacerda was appointed as a business analyst at Communication Concepts Integration, a company that delivers products and services that use vision-based machine learning. “Having the Springboard cer- tification on my resume let my employer know that they could trust my baseline abilities, even before an interview took place,” says Lacerda. “Thanks to this course, I also knew I had the right skills and personality to make a difference in any environment.” Egami has been similarly successful, secur- ing a position as a business data analyst at JFC International, a wholesaler and distributor of Asian food products in the USA. “My Springboard career coach helped me to create a professional resume and LinkedIn pro- file, advised me on how to find the right job roles, provided interview training, and con- stantly encouraged and motivated me,” she says. “Switching career after 16 years and completing an intensive Springboard course while working full time was challenging, but it empowered me with the skills and knowledge to become some- thing I’ve always wanted to be.” Springboard and Microsoft are committed to helping millions of people like Egami and Lacerda to boost their digital skills and achieve their career goals through both the Data Analytics Career Track and multiple other education initiatives. In the near future, Springboard and Microsoft’s Data Analytics Career Track will incorporate Microsoft Learn content to provide students with the ability to prepare for an industry-recognised Microsoft certification in Data Analysis. “We’re in the middle of the largest global labour market shift in more than a century, with mil- lions of displaced workers looking to make the difficult transition into new in-demand careers,” explains Tambay. “However, the rate at which technology progresses makes it impractical for people to earn a new master’s degree every time they switch jobs – and it’s unfeasible for employ- ers to wait so long for new talent. Springboard’s online learning model is uniquely positioned to help with this by democratising digital skills education for the workforce, as well as univer- sities and employers who need help navigating today’s new economic reality. When Springboard’s rigorous, real-world cur- riculumand human-centric approach to learning is combined with Microsoft’s industry-leading data analytics tools and resources, we have the power and expertise to train and support the next crop of data analyst trailblazers.” The Data Analytics Career Track is an online course, where students spend time reading content, watching videos, completing assignments and working with mentors