Elevate Program

Elevate is a program dedicated to empowering women and enabling them to take on new roles in artificial intelligence (AI). Over five years, it aims to train approximately 25,000 women in emerging markets worldwide across various advanced technology domains. The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) announced the program in collaboration with Google Cloud during the second edition of the Global AI Summit in 2022. The first phase of the program commenced on May 1, 2023.

Elevate Program aims to build skills and capabilities among participants and provide opportunities for women interested in pursuing careers in data, AI, and machine learning. It also seeks to contribute to achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals for 2030 and to address the gender gap in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), particularly in emerging markets. Additionally, the program grants women access to training in Google Cloud products and solutions.

Elevate Program offers a four-month educational and training curriculum developed in collaboration with Google Cloud. The participant may access free training sessions designed to equip her with the skills and expertise needed for roles such as cloud engineer, data engineer, machine learning engineer, or cloud business specialist. The program also provides mentorship from industry experts at Google Cloud and SDAIA. Furthermore, the opportunity to apply is open to female undergraduates and graduates with knowledge in the fields of: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.

The first phase of Elevate Program commenced in early May 2023 and lasted approximately four months. During this phase, female trainees progressed through four distinct training levels, all of which were delivered online. Various learning methods were employed, including blended learning, recorded lessons, self-paced labs, group-based learning, synchronous learning, open seminars, virtual courses, and hands-on activities such as advanced labs and specialized projects.

The training was conducted under the supervision of sixteen male and female Saudi experts from SDAIA. They shared valuable knowledge and expertise across two paths, one for technical specialists and another for non-specialists aiming to enhance their skills in technology fields. The program also provided the female participants with training sessions in cloud engineering, data engineering, machine learning engineering, or cloud business.

The first phase of Elevate Program aimed to train one thousand women from twenty-eight countries. Among the participants, three hundred were technical specialists, while seven hundred were non-specialists. The trainees represented a diverse range of countries, including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman, Egypt, Mauritania, the United States of America, Nigeria, Tanzania, Syria, Turkey, Algeria, Kenya, India, Jordan, Brazil, Gambia, Vietnam, Uganda, Eswatini, Lebanon, Lesotho, Iraq, the United Kingdom, Sudan, Tunisia, Moldova, Uzbekistan, and Liberia.