Case Study
Elm partners with Udacity to build a Graduate Development Program that gives 88% of graduates job-ready skills and delivers 383% ROI.
Industry
IT Services & Solutions
How Udacity Helped
83% of Elm learners
stated that Udacity delivered content is highly critical in their job
88% of Elm graduates
were able to apply newly learned skills in their day-to-day work
383%
overall return-on-investment (ROI)
Elm is a global company that provides both ready-made and customized digital solutions, including e-products, training and consultation solutions, IT solutions, and digital outsourcing services, to a wide range of customers. Elm's mission is to enhance services and localize information technology.
Elm is recognized for fostering a creative work environment that encourages initiative, innovation, and knowledge sharing among employees. This focus on continuous improvement among Elm employees led the company to partner with Udacity to build a Graduate Development Program designed to equip recent graduates with the necessary technical skills to excel in the full-stack development field.
"We endorse Udacity based on our positive experience. We value their top-tier services that include a cutting-edge curriculum, dedicated mentor support, and the ability to tailor learning to our specific needs. Our recommendation centers on the immense value Udacity has contributed to our upskilling initiative, underscoring their dedication to cultivating tech-ready talent and ensuring learner success."
Executive Sponsor
Elm
Challenge
In collaboration with Elm, Udacity embarked on a journey to design a highly tailored graduate upskilling program, strategically aimed at equipping fresh graduates with the essential skills demanded by this dynamic organization. Recognizing Elm's pivotal role in spearheading digital solutions and driving e-government transformation, Udacity grasped the significance of nurturing local talent to meet the relentless demands of the ever-evolving digital landscape.
To address this challenge effectively, Udacity meticulously crafted a learning path that commenced with comprehensive prerequisites. These prerequisites encompassed courses in SQL, web development, Java programming, and JavaScript, all aimed at establishing a robust foundation for aspiring Full-Stack Developers.
Solution
The centerpiece of this partnership was the creation of an exclusive Full Stack Developer Nanodegree program, custom-tailored to Elm's specific needs. This comprehensive program featured a diverse array of crucial modules, ranging from Spring Boot Basics to Data Stores & Persistence, Web Services and APIs, Security and DevOps, and Angular Fundamentals with Spring Boot. Through this unique blend of theoretical knowledge and hands-on practical application, Udacity’s Nanodegree program empowered graduates to seamlessly bridge the gap between backend and frontend development. Learners have completed over 450 live projects across 60+ Udacity Nanodegree programs, showing a very healthy graduation rate of 75%.
The tangible outcome was a cohort of highly skilled graduates capable of architecting and developing cutting-edge solutions, effectively propelling Elm's mission to lead in e-government transformation. Udacity’s collaboration with Elm served as a testament to the pivotal importance of full-stack skills in driving innovation, fostering digital excellence, and meeting the ever-evolving needs of the digital landscape.
Another impressive statistic from the Graduate Development Program was the speed at which Elm learners surpassed other MENA (Middle East and North Africa) learners in terms of completing the program; on average, Elm graduates completed the program in 48 days versus a regional average of 75 days. This places Elm employees at the top of all other government and semi-government entities in terms of learning efficiency and program completion.
Outcome
Udacity's strong reputation for top-tier technical upskilling, combined with the program's flexibility and comprehensive curriculum, were crucial factors in the partner selection process. Moreover, Udacity's strong focus on hands-on learning and the availability of mentor support were instrumental in Elm’s decision. Udacity’s ability to incorporate customized projects that mapped to Elm’s objectives was another crucial selection factor.
Tangible business outcomes mark a key measure of upskilling success; learners from Elm’s Graduate Development Program gave high ratings to the relevance and impact of Udacity’s learning experience, with 83% stating that the delivered content is highly critical in their job. 88% of Elm graduates were able to apply newly learned skills in their day-to-day work. In terms of overall program return-on-investment (ROI), Elm has realized 383% in estimated program ROI to date.
“The Udacity Nanodegree program equipped me with the skills to make data-driven decisions effectively. In my role as a software engineer, we often face challenges in prioritizing feature development. By applying the data analysis techniques I learned, I will be able to analyze user behavior data and identify which features are most critical to our users.”
~ Amani Almutairi, Engineer, Elm | Udacity Business Analytics Program Graduate
“My line of work required such knowledge, and completing the Udacity Nanodegree program helped me boost my performance and the overall outcome for my organization. By aligning with my daily work as a security consultant, it made things much clearer for me and helped me make precise educated decisions regarding security architecture.”
~ Saad Aldawsari, Consultant, Elm | Udacity Security Architect Program Graduate
It is noteworthy that Elm, the pioneer of digital solutions, won the Excellent Work Environment Award 2023 for the large company sector, which is supervised by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development. This award recognizes Elm’s dedication to providing an inspiring work environment capable of innovation.
Share this case study
