Cognizant aims to upskill two million globally for AI era by 2030
Cognizant has announced an ambition to upskill two million people globally by 2030 through its Synapse initiative, doubling its original goal. This move comes as its study with Oxford Economics projects that 90% of jobs will experience disruption from artificial intelligence by 2032. The programme, launched in 2023, has already reached over one million learners worldwide.
Global expansion
The company reports that Synapse operates across multiple education and employment initiatives. These include apprenticeships, collaborations with technology partners, and structured learning pathways. In the UK and Ireland, Cognizant has worked with organisations such as The King's Trust, Raspberry Pi Foundation, Code First Girls, and Generation UK to provide support and training, particularly for young people and jobseekers.
Community education forms a significant component. More than 113,000 people in the UK and Ireland have taken part in Synapse-related activities. Partnerships in the region include training young people through Code Clubs, supporting women in technology, and offering bootcamps for jobseekers.
AI training
To support its expanded target, Cognizant is increasing access to AI training resources. This includes more than 1,000 AI training and certification programmes, plus 240 dedicated learning pathways. These will be delivered through partnerships with technology companies such as Google, Microsoft, AWS, Salesforce, SAP, and Oracle.
The company intends to accelerate its investment in employee learning and further develop its collaborations with learning institutions. There are plans to launch branded learning events and make training resources available to client teams and community partners. Distribution of philanthropic funds to non-profit organisations aligned to Synapse's objectives will also be expanded.
Workforce readiness
The expansion is positioned as a response to wide-ranging workforce disruption driven by the rapid development of artificial intelligence. Cognizant anticipates that intensive upskilling will be needed to support employees and jobseekers as new technologies transform workplace tasks in the coming decade.
Synapse aims to address social, economic, cultural, and language barriers to workforce participation. The initiative offers a mix of jobseeker skilling, STEM education programmes, and partnerships with government, academia, non-profit, and industry groups.
"The expansion of our Synapse commitment marks a significant step toward building a more future-ready workforce. We are proud to have surpassed our initial goal ahead of schedule, a testament to the dedication of our teams and partners," said Ravi Kumar S., Chief Executive Officer, Cognizant.
"Our bold commitment to reach two million individuals by 2030 reflects the essential role Cognizant plays in enabling people around the globe to thrive in the AI-powered age and participate in the prosperity that this digital transformation brings," said Kumar S.
