At Salesforce, we believe that everyone deserves access to a quality education. In order for today's students to thrive in the 21st century digital economy and be prepared for college and careers that lie ahead, computer science must be a core tenant of K-12 education. Our goal is to make sure that we have a diverse, talented, and empowered workforce. That's why we're proud to announce that Salesforce is giving $50 million over five years to further computer science education, committing one million volunteer hours in classrooms across the U.S., and will grant all public schools in the country ten free subscriptions of key Salesforce products. Additionally, Salesforce.org will be donating $1 million to Code.org in order to expand access and teacher training for K-12 computer science education.

Salesforce has a long history of supporting computer science initiatives. Since Salesforce's founding in 1999, we've donated more than $65 million through investments in Code.org and the San Francisco Unified School District and Oakland Unified School District. We are incredibly proud that as a result of the partnership, San Francisco was the first school district in the U.S. to offer computer science curriculum for every grade level. In SFUSD, enrollment of girls in computer science increased from nearly 200 students to more than 3,800 — a 2,000 percent increase. Enrollment of underrepresented groups in computer science has also increased by 6,600 percent!

We know that giving back means more than writing a check, which is why pledging 1 million hours is a core component of our commitment to education. Over the last 17 years, Salesforce employees have volunteered 2.3 million hours in their community, and 175,000 hours have been spent volunteering in classrooms.

Technology can be an incredible vehicle when used for social good. With 10 free Salesforce subscriptions for every eligible school, we want key Salesforce technology to be accessible for parents, teachers, and students to connect in a whole new way.

To talk further about the announcement and Salesforce's commitment to incorporating computer science in K-12 education, Rob Acker, CEO of Salesforce.org, joined leaders from Lockheed Martin, Quicken Loans, Code.org, Amazon, Facebook, Google and more in Detroit for an Internet Association event. In total, private sector members of the Internet Association committed more than $300 million to K-12 computer science programs. Spread over the next five years, this investment will expand the computer science education pipeline and help close the skills gap for computing jobs in today's digital economy. Here are some of Acker's comments from the Internet Association event.

When asked what his message would be to a middle schooler thinking about getting into computer science, Acker said:

“I would say the first thing that people need to understand is that technology is not just about tech jobs. You are going to need these skills to thrive in any job in the future — it is clear. You don't necessarily need to go into computer science, IT, or the tech industry, but you have to have some basic level of understanding of computer science. The other thing I would say is that yes, you'll learn skills on coding, robotics, 3-D printing, things like that, but you also learn about problem solving, creativity, and teamwork. These are all skills that enhance the individual regardless of their future career path. And the third thing that really touches me is that it's about inclusion. I have a son who has cerebral palsy, and if I think about if he was born when I was born, he would not have the same opportunities as today. Technology is the great equalizer. The thing that's amazing about it is that he now has an opportunity to compete. Technology is inclusive, and he's an example of that inclusion. If we want diverse talent and an empowered and skilled workforce, we need to get behind computer science. Not at the expense of other programs, but as an and.”

On what he believes is Salesforce's greatest contribution:

“The most important thing that we do is what we call hands-on volunteering in the classroom with the students. I think it's really, really important; and when you ask the teachers, they believe it's worth more than money. By far the most important thing that I think that we do is this volunteering. It bridges communities, and it connects the dots for the students, because you can't be what you can't see. And this is why private sector engagement is key.”

If you missed the event, you can check out the recording here.