Consultancy firm PwC is kicking off a new “digital skills” program aimed at improving the expertise of its employees on new technologies like blockchain.

The firm will assign 1,000 of its employees to a two-year training program which will cover various digital technology-related, from blockchain to 3D printing to drones, Digiday reported Thursday.

Called Digital Accelerators, the program will begin this January, according to the report.

PwC Digital Accelerators head Sarah McEneaney told the publication that the move is part of a wider effort to help increase the firm’s subject-matter expertise.

“My job is to future proof our workforce … It just seems table stakes at this point that people should have more technology skills. It’s needed for us to remain competitive and to be responsive for what our clients are also going through.”

The training should make employees more efficient as well, reducing the number of hours they spend working on problems, McEneany contended. These savings will be transferred to PwC’s customers.

Roughly 3,500 out of the more than 46,000 employees working at PwC are said to have applied for spots in the program.

During the program, the 1,000 selected employees will work with clients while taking roughly 10 hours worth of courses each week. Data and analytics, which will include information collection and blockchain, will make up the first part of the program’s curriculum.

PwC image via Pres Panayotov / Shutterstock

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