Helping people achieve their potential

Creating educational opportunity

Cognizant supports education efforts such as Making the Future in the U.S., which inspires children to pursue learning in STEM disciplines, as well as a variety of programs in more than 20 other nations to help alleviate disparities in educational access.

Making the Future a Cognizant STEM education initiative

As the world is increasingly dependent on technology it is clear that the next generation must be STEM literate. Our Making the Future initiative launched in 2011 continues to couple STEM with the innovation and creativity to future-proof our youth with the resiliency needed to navigate the future. The mission of Making the Future is to advance Maker-centered learning as the catalyst for life-long learning, a future-ready workforce and an equitable and inclusive society. Maker-centered learning builds competence in the use of tools, materials and processes, develops confidence in one’s abilities and empowers youth to take control of their learning. Cultivating a maker mindset is a fundamental advantage for us to adapt to change, if not become an agent of change.

Making is learning.
Learning by doing.

Making the Future components include:

• Harnessing the potential of making to transform teaching and learning through advocacy and access to professional development opportunities.
• Financial, in-kind and volunteer support to non-profit organizations that inspire students with hands-on learning opportunities and outlets for creative problem solving.
• College scholarships for students interested in pursuing STEM careers.
• Making the Future program grants to youth-serving non-profits across the U.S. supporting young people whose access to STEM education and enrichment might otherwise be limited. Up to 50 grants annually with over 90 percent of the programs serving underrepresented populations.
• Build ecosystems to geographically scale maker-centered learning.

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Making the Future scholarship opportunity

Cognizant values the ingenuity of Makers who will bring a distinct business advantage to today’s competitive global and digital economy. This scholarship opportunity will highlight the creative problem solving and innovative spirit that Making brings to the process of design. Deadline for application submission is April 15, 2020.

Apply for scholarship

Learn about the eligibility

Reducing educational disparity throughout the World

Our Project Outreach volunteers have logged over 1.75 million volunteer hours supporting learning, mentoring, career counseling and talent development activities since the program began in 2007. In 2016 over 41,350 Cognizant associates dedicated 496,322 hours to Outreach activities in 20 countries, including the following programs:

100⁴

Our 1004 program has an ambitious goal: help 100 schools in India achieve a 100% pass rate, 100% graduation rate and 100% employability for graduates. In Kadapakkam, a village 120km from Chennai, volunteer teachers helped a local school reach a 100% pass rate in Computer Science and 98% pass rate in English in Class 12 board exams. The Fisheries school in Thevara, near Kochi, has earned an overall 100% pass rate for the last two consecutive years.

Be a teacher

Be a Teacher encourages Cognizant associates to volunteer to teach English, math and science in local schools and help with extra-curricular activities. On average, 93 classroom teaching sessions are held every week across India, benefiting a significant number of students.

Virtual volunteering

Through Classes on Cloud, Cognizant volunteers interact with children in remote areas via Skype or other online channels. For example, two Outreach volunteers in Chennai “virtually travel” over 500km to teach English and computer science to students in Sundarapandiam village, Virudhunagar.

Project 100 schools

The devastating floods in Chennai in 2015 heavily damaged many government schools in the city. Cognizant has committed to support the rebuilding efforts of 100 schools that suffered major damage in the floods in the Chennai, Kanchipuram and Tiruvallur districts. In 2016 infrastructure renovation was completed in 37 schools; ultimately, 50,000 children will have access to renewed school facilities.

Outreach scholarships

Primarily through associate contributions, we provide scholarships for students from disadvantaged backgrounds who otherwise might not be able to continue their post-high school education. In 2016 over 15,673 associates contributed more than $29,000 each month toward the Outreach Scholarship program. Thus far, the initiative has helped 1,100 students—of whom over 90% are first-generation graduates and 72% are girls—pursue higher education.

TalHunt

Outreach volunteers support TalHunt, an inter-school cultural competition in which children compete to showcase their talents—and can “win” projects to improve their schools’ facilities. In 2016 39,000 students from over 190 institutions in 11 cities were involved in TalHunt competitions. Over the past nine years some 200,000 children have participated in TalHunt, encouraged by some 18,000 Cognizant volunteers.

Reaching out to our global community

The Cognizant Foundation is an independent entity launched in 2005 to support corporate social responsibility initiatives, with the primary objective of improving the lives and opportunities of economically and socially disadvantaged sections of society in India.

Educating the community

In 2016 Cognizant Foundation supported 15 education projects aimed at improving the quality of education in institutions catering to underprivileged populations. Over 4,000 students and teachers benefit annually from these education projects.

Healthcare initiatives

Cognizant Foundation supported 11 interventions in healthcare in 2016 to advance the work of not-for-profit organizations rendering services to underprivileged parts of society. Healthcare projects focused particularly on blindness prevention initiatives, as well as providing cancer and emergency care to women and children from impoverished backgrounds through investments in diagnostic and surgical equipment. Over 60,000 patients benefit annually from these healthcare projects.

Livelihood programs

The Foundation funded 13 projects focused on improving livelihoods, primarily by providing skills training for disadvantaged youth and women. Beneficiaries of these programs graduate with specialized skills and become economically independent through gainful employment. Over 3,000 youth and women benefit from these programs.

Rebuilding communities program

The Foundation launched a Rebuilding Communities Program for areas affected by natural disasters, such as the unprecedented rains and flooding in Chennai, India, in December 2015 and Cyclone Vardah in December 2016. To address the devastation these events imposed on thousands of families, Cognizant Foundation works to create and build self-reliant communities to bring about integrated and sustainable development.

Our employees are our greatest asset

We are committed to attracting and retaining a diverse and inclusive workforce, developing our associates’ career and leadership potential and providing a work environment that promotes employees’ safety, health and well-being.

As a leading global enterprise that operates across many regions and cultures, diversity and inclusion are elemental to Cognizant’s values. Diversity is essential to attract, retain and develop the talented people we need to grow, thrive and serve clients—and to provide the rich variety of experiences and perspectives that allows us to see problems and opportunities from every angle.

Our diversity programs are designed to enhance opportunities for women, veterans and other affinity groups. We respect the individuality of every employee and strive to cultivate an environment of inclusion in which all are empowered to bring their best to work and inspired to reach their full potential.

Women Empowered

Women Empowered (WE) is a major focus of our commitment to diversity. The program uses a variety of training, collaboration, networking, support, mentorship and professional development to empower women within and beyond Cognizant.

Cognizant Veterans Network

Hiring veterans and developing their careers is a key element of our diversity and inclusion mission. The Cognizant Veterans Network helps veterans build and grow a career at Cognizant, one that enables them to leverage the leadership, loyalty, integrity and commitment to excellence instilled in them through their military service.

Learning and Development

We offer a wide range of professional development programs to strengthen our talent base, cultivate the skills to meet clients’ ever-changing needs and provide an attractive career path for team members. Through Cognizant Academy, our award-winning learning organization, as well as other professional development programs, our goal is to nurture employees’ abilities at each career stage.