Bertelsmann Employee Scholarship Program

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In continuation of the success story of 3 rounds 'Udacity Tech Scholarship', the Bertelsmann Scholarship Initiative will carry on with more than 50,000 chances for learners all over the world. Over a three-year period, Bertelsmann is once again investing significantly in funding tech scholarships to build some of the most in-demand tech skills of our time. This time,the initiative is divided into 2 parallel programs:

•The internal “Bertelsmann Employee Scholarship Program” only for Bertelsmann Employees

•The external “Next Generation Tech Booster” for all external participants worldwide

We are separating our employee cohort from external participants in order to offer Bertelsmann participants more targeted support, more content options to choose from, align learning content with business goals and to makeit easier than ever for employees to take part and earn a qualification.This means that our internal scholarship landscape is getting more diversified –employees get to choose between 3 different content providers according to their learning or content preferences:

•Udacity

•Coursera

•Harvard Business School Online (HBS)

We encourage all learners to involve their manager and/or HR in their choice of content in order to make their upskilling commitment visible and explore suitalbe development steps to accompanytheir learning journey. Once accepted into the program, employees can start working towards their certificate without any further funneling process, besides the Udacity Nanodegree activation deadline.How many seats are available?

Each year, half of the seats will be filled by nomination through divisional HR and half will be granted to employees showing their initiative and indicating their preference by completing a simple application form.Seats per year in total:

•Udacity: 400

•Coursera: 600

•HBS: 100

•Udacity: 4-6 hours/ week

•Coursera: 2-4 hours/ week

•HBS: 5 hours/ week

The program language for courses with all providers is English. English subtitles are available and some Coursera courses are also available in additional languages.

Applications open on October 5, 2022 and close on November 28, 2022.

The application must be submitted proactively on this Landine page. Interested employees can go to the top of this page and directly choose the preferred provider. Application can be submitted between October 5 – November 28 2023.

All Bertelsmann employees, who want to expand their Tech & Data skills and are at least 18 years old. All necessary prerequisites for each Udacity Nanodegree are explained in the section above or in this FAQ section below.

First, learners must choose the learning provider they would like to apply for.Each application form is structured into different parts:

1.Background information (personal data) →Learners should be be prepared to enter their peoplenet ID.

2.Motivational questions

3.Short technical-assessment (only for Udacity Nanodegrees with prerequisites)

•The main criterion is the answer to the motivational questions

•Prerequisite knowledge for certain Nanodegrees

•Besides that, seats will be divided among divisions and diversity criteria

Each employee can only take up one seat at a time. So, learners may choose the learning provider that best suits them. Learners who have been nominated by their divisional HR team, no longer need to apply for a seat on their own behalf.

Nominated employees got selected by their HR & supervisors and do not need to apply additionally. However, a separate registration for Udacity and HBS will be necessary. Bertelsmann University will send individual information directly to the relevant candidates. Participants who are interested in a Udacity Nanodegree, which requires certain prerequisites, must also take part in a "technical assessment" and answer at least 60% of the questions correctly in order to participate in the Nanodegree program. This applies to both nominees and applicants.

We will upload learner participation to peoplenet. The peoplenet ID is only relevant during the application phase and does not have to be re-entered, later.The peoplenet ID can be viewed on peoplenet under “My Employee Files” (see screenshot below). If the peoplenet ID is already required for logging in (no identity management), students should contact their local HR department.

Learners can choose between  different Learning Provider: Udacity, Coursera and Harvard Business School (Online).

Udacity: Learners have to choose one out of 5 Nanodegrees.

Coursera: Learner get access to the full learning catalog and if they prefer a little more guidance, they can choose one of the pre-curated learning paths for mission critical tech & data roles.

Harvard Business School Online: Learners will get access to the Data Science Principles Course.

Find more information in the Provider FAQ section

​Bertelsmann pays the costs for all scholarship programs from a central budget.

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Nomination Deadline:September 2, 2022

Application phase: October 5 –November 28, 2022

Announcement scholarship recipients: Around December 9, 2022

Udacity Nanodegree phase: December 15, 2022 –July 13, 2023 (7 months)

Coursera access:December 15, 2022 –December 14, 2023 (1 year)

HBS (Data Science Principles course):February 22 –March 22, 2023 (1 month)

The program takes place 100% online. Students can work from wherever they want to, as long asthey have a working internet connection.

The learning content is extensive and requires a desktop computer. Udacity’s general technical requirements are listed here: www.udacity.com/tech-requirements. Coursera also offers a mobile app.

Learners should make sure to make continuous learning progress. Bertelsmann University reserves the right to remove inactive users from the program in order to give as many employees as possible
the chance to take part in this learning initiative.

Udacity: Participants need to complete the first project or 25% of the content/ concepts within the first 2 months (Feb 20, 23) to avoid being removed from the program.
Coursera: Bertelsmann University reserves the right to revoke the license of any inactive users. Learners will be informed in advance and given the chance to continue learning accordingly.
HBS: Here, a weekly learning progress must be demonstrated by design of the course in order to successfully complete the program and receive a certificate.

Employees should only join this program if they are committed to learning and graduating within the defined timeline of the program. Nevertheless, if they are no longer able to learn (especially as aCoursera license holder), students should inform Bertelsmann University
(university@bertelsmann.com) in order to give the license to another Bertelsmann employee.

Bertelsmann University will assign the participation to learners training plans shortly after the end of the application phase (December 2022) and update the training history shortly after the end of course. HR departments will therefore have access to the names of participants in their specific units via peoplenet.

Participants can indicate in the application form if they agree that their individual learning progress may be shared with the HR department. This helps HR departments to better target the support measures for participants within this program. Besides different opportunities such as a networking MS Teams group or check-in calls most divisions are offering individual learner support.

Learners can choose from a defined set of Nanodegrees which are in line with some of the most in-demand skills profiles across the Bertelsphere. Each year, we are shaking things up a little and offer a variety of Nanodegrees to choose from. Learners need to indicate their chosen Nanodegree in their application. For the upcoming round, learners can choose between the following Nanodegrees:

•Cloud DevOps Engineer using Azure (prerequisites required)

•Front End Web Developer (prerequisites required)

•Introduction to Cybersecurity (minor prerequisites required)

•Product Manager

•Programming for Data Science with Python

•Learners benefit from interaction and exchange with the community

•Job-related projects by industry experts

•Focus on business-relevant skills

•Useful help from mentors

•Graduates earn an industry-recognized credential

Udacity courses are highly interactive with activities like quizzes and exercises interspersed between short videos and interviews with instructors and industry experts. The quizzes are a tool to help students learn, and an ongoing resource, so learner can watch the videos and try the quizzes as many times as they like. Udacity Nanodegrees also include real-world projects, which must be completed and submitted. Students will receive feedback from mentors on these projects. In case of uncertainties and questions, the student receives 24/7 mentor support.

The learning journey will be 7 months and self-guided with 4-6 hours of learning per week. Students can learn in their own time. Throughout the entire learning journey, students will have access to an online community platform, where they will be able to ask tutors and other employee-students for support to help them through any learning difficulties! Students will also have two live “webinars” for each project, where a Udacity tutor, who is a content expert, offers a project walkthrough and unblocks any questions learners may have.

Learners should make sure to follow the program schedule presented in the classroom and they will be on track to graduate the Nanodegree Program on time. However, if students do not make sufficient progress within the first 9 weeks (until Feb 20, 2023), they risk being removed from the program. The criteria they must meet in order to avoid being revoked include submitting the first project or viewing 25% of the concepts.

Cloud DevOps Engineer using Azure

The goal is to equip cloud computing professionals with a skillset for one of the most popular cloud services platform used by enterprises – Microsoft Azure. Students will learn how to deploy, test, and monitor cloud applications on Azure, thereby preparing learners for success on Microsoft’s AZ-400 DevOps Engineer Expert certification exam. Bertelsmann University invites all graduates to take this exam as an addition to their scholarship free of charge as part of our Enterprise Skilling Initiative in collaboration with Microsoft.

Please find more information here: https://www.udacity.com/course/cloud-devops-using-microsoft-azure-nanodegree--nd082 

Prerequisites:

•Write and read code using Python

•Identify core components of the cloud (e.g.Virtual Machines, Virtual Networks, Databases) and their function in the context of one of the major cloud providers. (i.e.Azure, AWS, GCP)

•Provision a cloud development environment and do high-level systems administration tasks

•Basic Linux shell skills

•Basic familiarity with CI/CD pipelines

•Basic knowledge of IT Infrastructure•Create a free-tier Azure account, which requires a computer with command-line access, an up-to-date Web browser, and an email address

Front End Web Developer Nanodegree

The goal is to equip learners with the unique skills they need to build and develop a variety of websites and applications. Students will learn how to:

•Construct responsive websites using CSS, Flexbox and CSS Grid•Develop interactive websites and UI applications using JavaScript and HTML•Connect a web application to backend server data using JavaScript•Automating application build and deployment using Webpack

•Improving offline performance of websites using Service WorkerPlease find more information here: https://www.udacity.com/course/front-end-web-developer-nanodegree--nd0011

Prerequisites:

•Lay out a simple webpage using HTML

•Style a website element using CSS

•Write and test software with JavaScript

•Inspect websites using Developer Tools on a modern web browser (Chrome, Firefox, or Edge)

•Debug and troubleshoot errors and failures in JavaScript programs•Use Git for version control

•Basic knowledge of javascript, Html & css

Introduction to Cybersecurity

The goal is to equip learners with the foundational cybersecurity skills to get started in this highly in-demand field. Students will learn how to evaluate, maintain, and monitor the security of computer systems and how to assess threats, respond to incidents, and implement security controls to reduce risk and meet security compliance goals.

Please find more information here: https://www.udacity.com/course/intro-to-cybersecurity-nanodegree--nd545

Prerequisites:

Basic understanding of network connectivity 

Product Manager

The goal is to teach the foundational skills all product managers use in leading the development of software products, whether they are mobile apps, desktop apps, or web platforms for consumers or enterprises.

Please find more information here: https://www.udacity.com/course/product-manager-nanodegree--nd036

Prerequisites: No prerequisites required

Programming for Data Science with Python

The goal is to equip learners with the programming fundamentals required for a career in Data Science. Students will learn how to use Python, SQL, Command Line, and Git.

Please find more information here: https://www.udacity.com/course/programming-for-data-science-nanodegree--nd104

Prerequisites:

No prerequisites required

Participants can study on their own schedule. They only need to complete the first project or work through 25% of the concepts until February 20, 2023 in order to stay in the program. After this date, students should complete the course by the end date: July 13, 2023.

Yes, students will have indefinite static access to the content after graduating the Nanodegree. Static access will include classroom content that will not be updated over time. Such access will not include access to projects that were not previously submitted, as well as certain services, such as community channels, project reviews, workspaces, labs, or quizzes. Also, please note that learners will lose access to the content if they fail to finish within the Nanodegrees final deadline.

Upon completion of the Nanodegree program, graduates receive an official certificate directly from Udacity. After the students have successfully completed their projects, their identity will be verified with a third-party provider, and students may be asked for a final interview. Once this procedure has been completed, the certificate can be viewed, printed and forwarded via the Udacity account.

Generally, a Coursera scholarship gives learners 12-months unlimited access to all learning content on the Coursera platform, including a wide range of courses, skillsets, specialization and clips designed by Coursera in collaboration with more than 200 universities. Learners get access to an extensive course catalog on many different topics with a focus on Data, Technology and Economics. If learners prefer more guidance as to what content to chose, they will find pre-curated learning paths for mission critical role profiles according to the Group-wide skills gap analysison their landing page. To find contentthat matches their learning needs, learners can previewthe Coursera catalog here or get a first impression of the Bertelsmann Employee Scholarship Program site including pre-curatedcourses here.

•Content provided by some of the world's leading universities (e.g.Stanford, Yale and IESE) and institutions(e.g.Google, BCG and Deeplearning.ai)

•Highest possible flexibility: learning any time and from any place at the learner’s individual pace

•Certificates of completion are issued by the institution that provides the content on the Coursera platform: a fast-track opportunity to obtain a sharable certificate from a top league university or renowned organization

Courses include recorded and peer-reviewed video lectures, assignments, and discussion forums for student exchange. In addition, Coursera offers “SkillSets”, an individualized learning experience by which each learner is given personalized recommendations for high-quality learning content based on their level of knowledge, learning progress and their own learning objective. For more information on learning with Coursera, please visit: https://www.bertelsmann-university.com/individual-campus/program-information/Coursera.html

Coursera courses have been designed to allow learners to work at their own pace with bite-sized sessions and a self-paced learning model. The time varies by each course. Coursera keeps lectures and lessons short -with only a few minutes each -so learners can make meaningful progress in just a few minutes a day.

Generally, courses can take between 1-6 weeks to complete. The average length of a course is 20 hours and is designed to fit around every schedule.

Coursera SkillSets are a special functionality to support targeted learning basedon the individual requirements of a learner. Hence, they are a great way to facilitate individualreskilling scenarios.

Each SkillSet includes a group of skills relevant to a learner’s chosen learning goal. It makespersonalized recommendations of premium curated content based on learnerspersonal progresstowards the target score of each skill required for his/her desired skillset. Progress is automaticallymeasured based on the courses already taken on the Coursera platform plus the opportunity toassess previous experience and training from other learning sources. Learning content is taken from individual courses mapped specifically to the learning need at hand,rather than a full University program.

Upon completion of a course, learners will be eligible to receive a shareable electronic course certificate. Certificates of completion are issued by the institution that is providing the content on the Coursera platform: a fast-track opportunity to obtain degree from a top league university or renowned tech organization.

Learners within the HBS cohort of the Bertelsmann Employee Scholarship Program will jointly take the Data Science Principles course on the HBS online platform. This course is a code and math free introduction to key data science concepts. It has been designed as a foundational course for managersand leaders, enabling non-experts to successfully interface with experts in the field. At the end of the course, learners will:

•Comprehend the data science landscape and technical terminology to navigate a data-driven world

•Recognize major concepts and tools in the field of data science and determine where they can be applied with impact

•Appreciate the importance of curating, organizing, and wrangling data•Explain uncertainty, causality, and data quality —and the ways in which they relate to each other

•Understand the consequences of data use and misuse and know when more data may be needed or when to change approaches

Managers and leaders with no prior experience who want to learn about and master basic data science concepts in order to converse with experts and transform their businesses.

HBS Online is an online education platform by Harvard Business School which offers a unique and highly engaging way of learning. HBS Online is committed to staying true to the HBS mission: to educate leaders who make a difference in the world, using an active, social, and case-based learning model. Learners immerse themselves in real-world cases and debate with peers from around the world —all while learning from renowned Harvard Business School faculty.

Data Science Principles is a self-paced program delivered via the HBS Online course platform. The platform features short videos by HBS faculty and guest experts, interactive exercises and an exchange forum which learners will useto interact and engage with their cohort peers. Lessons are brought to life through real-world cases from a range of industry sectors.

HBS and Bertelsmann University take great pride in the effectiveness and efficiency of our programs and courses. As such, we have teamed up and will be accompanying you along this learning journey as well. What does that mean? To make sure that both the content and structure are effective, we will be asking you for feedback before, during and after the program. You can be sure: These surveys are not used to assess or evaluate individual learning progress. Rather, we want to use your responses to make this course (and others to come) even better. Your support in terms of taking the time to fill out these quick surveys is essential – thank you for that! Please see data protection notice here.

In order to earn a certificate of completion from Harvard Business School Online, participants must thoughtfully complete all 7 modules, including associated quizzes and peer engagement exercises within the given deadlines.

Content for this program is being unlocked successively on a week-by-week basis. Thus, constant classroom engagement is required. In between deadlines students can work to their own schedule.