NOVEMBER 23, 2020 – The Air Force recently launched a program called Digital University to help increase digital literacy, by providing access to free courses from Udemy, Pluralsight and Udacity to all Department of the Air Force Air and Space Professionals.
Digital University strives to fit the needs of all Airmen by providing 100,000 licenses to access more than 12,000 courses.
“ACC (Air Combat Command) is leading the way for our United States Air Force, and we are happy to carry this forward,” said Brig. Gen. Chad Raduege, ACC director of cyberspace and information dominance. “This is a foundation for our force as we move forward into the future.”
According to Lt. Gen. Christopher P. Weggeman, deputy commander of ACC, he knows one size won’t fit all and that all Airmen learn at a different pace, in different ways and each individual’s knowledge base varies.
Digital University offers something for everyone, covering subjects such as, leadership, public speaking, conflict management, game development, language learning, computer programing and more.
Chief Master Sgt. Patricia Ford, ACC support functional manager, has already completed a few Digital University courses in Photoshop, Excel Pivot Table and is currently working on her Project Management Professional, or PMP, Certification on the platform.
“I challenge anyone to find anything that they can’t do in Digital University. It’s for the novice, the intermediate and the expert,” Ford said.
Like Ford, Raduege also took Digital University for a test drive, completing courses in resiliency, 5G technologies, and Python programming, finding ways to grow his digital literacy.
Licenses for Pluralsight and Udacity, which offer nano-degrees, are planned to be added when the pilot program wraps up in June 2021.
Weggeman is encouraging all ACC Airmen to participate and discover what Digital University courses are best suited for their unique interests.
“We are asking you to take the lead in the pursuit to build the digital Air Force we need. Every Airmen, regardless of the AFSC, is vitally important to executing the Air Force mission and advancing digital literacy,” Weggeman said. There is hidden talent and untapped potential out there – our job is to seek it out and feed the digital hunger in our Airmen. Lead the way!”
Digital University can be accessed from any device once registered. To register and create an account, please visit http://digitalu.af.mil/.
By Capt. Laura Hayden , Air Combat Command Public Affairs