PwC commits $320M to over 10 million students

PwC announced on Thursday the launch of their Access Your Potential program - a five-year, $320 million initiative that will look to provide the proper financial educational tools and training for students and educators throughout the country.

The initiative comes on the heels of a recent PwC study conducted with the Business-Higher Education Forum, which found a large expectations gap between educators and business executives. By 2021, the survey estimates, 69 percent of U.S. executives will hire candidates with more data and analytic skills, but just 23 percent of current educators believe their students will be prepared in that field.

"Too many young people are being left behind by our country's growing education gap," stated Tim Ryan, PwC's U.S. chairman and senior partner. "At PwC, we believe that every student's potential should be realized, regardless of their circumstances. That is why we are investing in helping young people achieve their potential by improving their financial capability and opening their eyes to tech-enabled careers."

“For us, helping young people learn these essential life skills is a responsibility, a privilege, and a passion,” said Shannon Schuyler, corporate responsibility leader at PwC, per a statement. “Creating an equitable society must be a priority and Access Your Potential™ is one of the ways that we can begin to address this formidable challenge.”

Access Your Potential will look to provide 10 million students in disadvantaged communities with a more financial and tech-based curriculum, as well as equipping 100,000 educators with the tools to introduce similar career paths. The commitment will also connect students to PwC professionals on how to best utilize their newfound skills to the job market.

For more on the program and PwC, head to the firm's site here.