Seven HBCUs Partner With UiPath To Offer New Automation Curriculum – Forbes

Tuskegee University is one of seven HBCUs partnering with UiPath to offer new training in business ... [+] automation. (Photo by Carol M. Highsmith/Buyenlarge/Getty Images)

Seven Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are partnering with UiPath, theenterprise automationsoftware company, to train students in Robotic Process Automation (RPA).The partnership was announced today in a press release from the company. Its the latest extension of UiPathsAcademic Alliance, in which colleges and universities collaborate with the company to offer curricula, software and certification so students can be better prepared for careers in automation and other digital settings.

In simple terms, RPA is an emerging technology that allows businesses to streamline routine processes and thereby reduce their costs. With RPA, tedious, rule-governed business processes are automated by configuring software robots to run applications that direct transactions, trigger replies and other messages, and communicate with other digital systems.

An example of a basic function is sending automated responses to an email. At a more complex level, RPA can initiate and track other business activities that typically require several FTE employees. Its an ideal technology for conducting high-volume processes at a rapid speed, thereby saving businesses time and money and freeing up employees for tasks requiring more judgment and finesse. RPA is a step short of the kinds of applications possible with machine learning or artificial intelligence tools, but the range of tasks it can perform - from sending invoices and sales orders to completing payrolls and entering data into enterprise resource planning systems - is growing increasingly complex.

The new partnership includes the following HBCUs:

A recent UiPath survey showed that nearly half of office workers worldwide worry they will be out of a job within five years because their skills will become outdated. As a result, 91% believed their employers should be more willing to invest in digital and technology skills training for their employees.

College students, particularly those intending to take jobs in business, are also keenly aware of the need for these skills and increasingly see them as a highly desirable supplement to their regular college major.

Im thrilled to start my RPA journey through Texas Southern Universitys curriculum with UiPath. I know that the enterprise of the future is fully automated, and that RPA technology is at the core of this new way of working. Im excited to gain the skills I need to drive a future of work that unleashes workers from the repetitive, time-intensive work, said Aliza Durvesh, a teaching assistant at Texas Southern University.

At Jackson State University, Tuskegee University, and Texas Southern University, RPA instruction is already being offered. Jackson State Universitys RPA curriculum is part of itsIndustrial Systems and Technology course of study, while Texas Southern University and Tuskegee University are teaching RPAto students in its management,accounting, and information science programs.

Dr. Jack Crumbly, Management Department Chair in the Andrew F. Brimmer College of Business and Information Science at Tuskegee University, sees the value of the new skills being incorporated into the college curriculum. As a professor, its my job to make sure my students are prepared to enter the workforce with the skills they need to succeed. A UiPath survey found that 70% of senior executives want even non-technical employees to have automation skillsa sign that its of utmost importance for universities like Tuskegee University to provide our students with RPA training programs, especially among business, accounting and IT applications. UiPaths commitment to diversifying the tech community is admirable and were proud to partner with them on this curriculum.

According to the release, the sevenHBCUs that have recently partnered with UiPath are among more than 750 universities and colleges in UiPaths Academic Alliance, which gives faculty at the partnering schools access to the free automation curriculum. Industry research shows increasing demand for professionals who have such skills. For example,Robotics Engineer is among the fastest emerging jobs globally, withLinkedInreporting a 40% compound annual growth rate in job postings from 2015 to 2019.

We believe its imperative that workforces have the training and skills to use automation technologies and identify opportunities for innovative applications, said UiPath Vice President Tom Clancy, in the release. We strongly believe that this education should be extended to all people. Fostering diversity in the tech industry, unlocks opportunities for fresh perspectives, ideas, and opportunities for innovation.

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Seven HBCUs Partner With UiPath To Offer New Automation Curriculum - Forbes