Digital University
The Secretary of the Air Force/Chief Information Officer (SAF/CIO), Business and Enterprise Directorate (BES), and Business and Enterprise Systems Product Innovation (BESPIN) identified a national defense-related mission need for a Digital University Platform to intensify the evolution of digital literacy among Airmen and Guardians. The focus of Digital University (Digital U) – part of the “Digital Air Force” initiative – is to enable Airmen and Guardians to train remotely via industry-leading curricula to learn skills associated with a new way of fighting wars.
In under a year and in close collaboration with the SAF/CIO, BES, and BESPIN, Omni Federal developed Digital U as part of a SBIR Phase II effort and launched the platform to the Air Force, democratizing digital learning and skills across the department. The Minimum Viable Product (MVP) was equipped with easy-to-access sign-in, user-friendly registration, an interactive dashboard, and tailored learning path pages. Omni Federal and BESPIN continue to advance Digital U’s platform with value-added tools and capabilities that enhance the user’s experience. Allowing single sign on procedures using a Common Access Card has enabled seamless access to the platform and multiple courses from providers like Pluralsight and Data Camp and has simplified operations. In addition, as prototype level gamification concepts started to be integrated, the online user experience became fun and competitive. The successful Digital U platform launch, and its technical enhancements have attracted multiple organizations and leaders to request access to Digital U.
Through the Digital University SBIR Phase III IDIQ contract, Omni continues to provide the needed capabilities to support Airmen and Guardian training, including Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) curriculum expansion as well as maintenance and operation of the Digital U Platform where AI/ML is considered. As part of this effort, Omni is also developing Archimedes, an AI/ML sandbox that enables users to apply AI/ML skills learned through Digital U curriculum in a hands-on learning environment. We are creating sample data and use cases and integrating AI/ML tools for qualified learners to practice AI/ML with real military data sets in a secure, safe environment.