Building Career Pathways: How Academic Partnerships Are Connecting Students to High-Demand Technology Careers

The technology skills gap isn't just a challenge; it’s an opportunity. With 55,470 jobs requiring ServiceNow skills posted globally each month and a median U.S. salary of $116,600, community colleges are uniquely positioned to prepare students for careers in one of tech’s fastest-growing ecosystems.

The Demand Is Real

Seventy percent of hiring managers report an IT skills gap in the ServiceNow customer and partner ecosystem, with 39 percent concerned about the impact on organizational performance. Behind these numbers are 24,515 companies worldwide competing for ServiceNow talent—from Fortune 500 enterprises to innovative startups. The challenge is building sustainable talent pipelines that connect skilled individuals to these opportunities.

ServiceNow's platform powers digital transformation across industries, from healthcare and financial services to manufacturing and public sector organizations. As the AI control tower for business reinvention, ServiceNow integrates data, AI, workflows, and security to help enterprises work smarter.

A Partnership Model That Works

ServiceNow's academic partnerships program removes traditional barriers to workforce training by providing everything institutions need at no cost. Academic partners receive:

  • Technical course content from ServiceNow University
  • Platform lab instances for the full program duration
  • Professional certification exam attempts
  • Instructor slides and resources
  • Curriculum mapping assistance

This isn't about adding another vendor platform to the curriculum. It's about providing practical, hands-on experience with enterprise technology that translates to skills employers need.

Success in Action: Three Models, Three Outcomes

Ivy Tech Community College integrates ServiceNow directly into its IT service desk certificate program through course ITSP-175. Students in the Service Desk Support course learn tier-1 technical support while working with actual help desk software, knowledge bases, and ITIL processes. The program combines Welcome to ServiceNow and IT Service Management Fundamentals courses, preparing students to earn credentials while building immediately applicable customer service and support skills. By embedding ServiceNow into existing curriculum, Ivy Tech created a seamless pathway from classroom learning to professional readiness.

Central New Mexico Community College partners with the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to create professional development certificates in ServiceNow System Administration and ServiceNow Application Development. Beyond core administration and development skills, the program addresses real-world employer needs by including platform functionality like Flow Designer, Automated Test Framework, and exposure to Platform Analytics and low-code development. This approach recognizes that today's ServiceNow professionals need both platform expertise and familiarity with adjacent capabilities that customers and partners value most. Students complete the program with mainline and micro-certifications, making them immediately competitive in the job market.

Wake Tech Community College took a progressive approach by building ServiceNow into two sequential courses within its Department of Network and Computer Technology. CTS-155 Tech Support Functions integrates foundational ServiceNow content, including Introduction to Generative AI and IT Service Management, giving students hands-on experience with service management software following ITIL standard practices. CTS-255 Advanced Tech Support Functions builds on this foundation, preparing students for the Certified System Administrator certification. This scaffolded approach allows students to progress from basics to advanced platform skills, earning both mainline and micro-certifications along the way.

The Global Community College Movement

ServiceNow also partners with academic institutions globally, spanning 120+ institutions across Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Africa, and India, with government partnerships in multiple states and countries to scale workforce development initiatives. Each partnership is customized to institutional needs through:

  • Curriculum Integration - Using ServiceNow in technical courses for practical application
  • Continuing Education - Short courses and certificates for upskilling
  • Campus Leaders + Externships - Student ambassadors coordinating events and promotional activities along with summer externship programming
  • Student IT Employee Programs - Supplementing campus IT onboarding with ServiceNow training for academic institutions that are also ServiceNow customers

From Learning to Employment

Thousands of customers are actively recruiting ServiceNow talent; students who complete these programs enter a marketplace where their skills are immediately recognized and valued. The ServiceNow Academic Partnerships team uses Lightcast and Talent Neuron data to facilitate connections with career services departments in the ServiceNow customer and partner ecosystem.

About ServiceNow Academic Partnerships

ServiceNow partners with colleges and universities worldwide to build sustainable technology talent pipelines. Through free programs providing courseware, lab instances, certifications, and curriculum support, we're helping institutions prepare students for careers in the ServiceNow ecosystem, targeting 75,000 learners in 2026 as part of our goal to reach 3 million learners by 2027.

Learn more: ServiceNow Skilling Programs
Explore global partners: Academic Partner Finder
Contact us: academicpartnerships@servicenow.com

ServiceNow was an Innovations 2026 Champion Sponsor.

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