Case Study: UTS and Microsoft
Microsoft and UTS Collaborate to Bridge the Technology Skills Gap with Innovative Graduate Certificate
Liz Blatchford 0:07 So this is a world first, this incredible collaboration with UTS, and Microsoft to build an accelerated program to bring more functional consultants into the market to meet the demand that we're seeing now. And in the future.
Mai Hansford 0:22 It's a burgeoning industry, digital transformation is what a lot of businesses are about. So their business consultants are scarce on the ground. And these business consultants help businesses to move into this new space using their systems in ways that are going to benefit business.
Natalia Nikolova 0:43 So this Graduate Certificate will provide pathways for you to work in some of the biggest consulting and advisory companies in the world. So students will be presented with a real client project, a similar one that they will be facing when they actually start the career as a Dynamics consultant.
Tharlon Khinzaw 1:00 So Dynamics 365 is a CRM that has also additional features, such as allowing customer service interactions, and ability to solve customer issues.
Kurt Solarte 1:11 Dynamics and Power platform are a great kind of set of platforms allow us to do all sorts of things from CRM, through to things like automation and logic app, it's a really, it's a whole platform that lets our functional consultants decide which of the multiple pieces of the platform should be hooked together to solve our clients business problems.
Ben Davis 1:33 We've seen our partners like KPMG, EY, Avanade, Capgemini really driving digital transformation with our customers seeking an edge seeking a competitive advantage, optimizing their businesses, of course, with all of that growth in the customer space, our partners are seeking more and more people to come into their businesses to enable that and help their customers.
Josephine Porrier 1:53 So functional consultants come from wide and varied backgrounds, you know, you can imagine a finance consultant might come from finance background, but they don't necessarily have to, they could come from a commerce or business type background. They don't need to come from computer science.
Lucia Gamarra 2:07 We have hired teachers, we've hired accountants, we have hired Field Sales officers, we've hired a range of people, this is a great career, because there's never a dull moment, every project is very, very different.
John Zampa-Howe 2:24 I'm in my 50s now and I've had a significant career in the military. And I thought that was all I was going to do. I spent many roles in army over 25 years, none of them it related.
Prajwal Bhetwal 2:35 As a consultant, you're doing multiple things in multiple projects. Sometimes you have to wear a hat of a planner, sometimes you have to wear hat or be designers. Sometimes you have to wear a hat of a tester.
Cathy Xu 2:44 Other skills include communication skills, you're talking to a wide range of stakeholders. So it's important you know how to communicate and get your point across creative thinking skills and problem solving skills are super important. Also facilitation skills, you'll be helping facilitate workshops and meetings a lot more. So there are plenty of opportunities.
Kurt Solarte 3:04 I think certifications are really important that Microsoft has looked into you and certified your knowledge on the platform is really important to a lot of clients who are in the market right now looking to acquire expertise and really get help.
Natalia Nikolova 3:16 It is very experiential is very realistic students who work in teams, there'll be facing a realistic scenario. And they'll have to go through the process of how do you actually solve a current problem and implement a solution. It's challenging, it's not easy, but it also brings in a lot of learning opportunities, and really prepare students for the next step, which is to go out and work with real clients.
Josephine Porrier 3:40 There is a huge demand for functional consultants. Every single day, a new deal comes across my desk and this doesn't seem like it's slowing down anytime soon. It's just only going to get greater demand from here.
To address the growing demand for skilled technology professionals, Microsoft has joined forces with the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) to introduce a groundbreaking course tailored for individuals seeking lucrative careers in business applications. The UTS Graduate Certificate in Business Consulting and Technology Implementation, co-designed in collaboration with Microsoft and prominent services firms Avanade, Capgemini, and EY, is set to empower a diverse range of students with the expertise to thrive in the dynamic field of functional consulting using Microsoft Dynamics.
Comprising six subjects, the Graduate Certificate focuses on giving participants a mix of business knowledge, people skills, and technical know-how. It's designed to prepare students for roles as functional consultants, whether they want to work with Microsoft's partners or directly with its clients. Whether aspiring to work within Microsoft's partner ecosystem or directly with its client base, graduates of this program will possess a unique skill set that sets them apart in an increasingly in-demand field.
One of the distinctive features of this course is its fusion of academic expertise from UTS's Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and UTS Business School, along with practical insights from Microsoft and top service firms. The curriculum strongly emphasises real-world case studies and practical implementation experiences facilitated by organisations such as Avanade, Capgemini, and EY.
A cornerstone of the program is the focus on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Power Platform, allowing students to build foundational knowledge while gaining real-world experience. This hands-on approach ensures that graduates understand the theoretical aspects and gain practical experience, making them job-ready from day one.
An additional advantage of the program is its flexibility, being offered entirely online to accommodate the diverse backgrounds of participants. The course is designed to suit a range of professional disciplines, recognising that technology consulting requires a range of perspectives and skills.
Moreover, the initiative aligns with the Australian Government's Higher Education Loan Program (FEE-HELP), providing eligible participants with financial support to pursue this unique educational opportunity. This commitment to accessibility emphasises the program's mission to fill the existing skill gaps and contribute to the Tech Council of Australia's ambitious goal of addressing the need for an estimated 286,000 additional skilled technology workers over the next four years.
In conclusion, the Microsoft-UTS collaboration represents a significant step toward addressing the pressing demand for skilled technology professionals and ensuring that individuals from diverse backgrounds can excel in this rapidly evolving industry. As graduates enter the workforce armed with a specialised skill set, this innovative program is poised to substantially bridge the technology skills gap and shape the future of business consulting and technology implementation.
