Persistent Systems has launched an AI engineering talent initiative with Databricks and the Milwaukee School of Engineering. The programme centres on a hackathon developed with the university's AI Club.
The initiative gave students hands-on experience with data and AI engineering tools used in modern analytics, generative AI and operational AI projects. Participants worked across the AI lifecycle using Delta Lake, Unity Catalog, Agent Bricks and Databricks Workflows, focusing on scalable pipelines, governed data environments, orchestration and production-ready architecture.
Senior architects and project leads from Persistent worked directly with students throughout the programme, helping connect academic study with the practical demands of building and scaling AI systems in business settings.
The collaboration also deepens Persistent's ties with the Milwaukee School of Engineering, which has built programmes around applied AI and engineering education. Through its work with the MSOE AI Club, Persistent is extending its involvement in an academic network focused on AI, robotics, data science and engineering.
For Databricks, the project forms part of a broader relationship with Persistent, one of its Global Systems Integrator partners. Persistent has more than 1,300 Databricks specialists and more than 950 certifications tied to the platform.
Workforce focus
The programme was designed to prepare students for production-scale AI deployments rather than isolated classroom exercises. Its structure reflects a broader market shift as companies seek engineers who can work with governed data, operational controls and systems that can be deployed at scale.
That emphasis on workforce readiness has become a common theme in collaborations between technology suppliers, service companies and universities. Businesses are under pressure to move AI projects beyond the pilot phase, while colleges are being pushed to show that graduates can work with the tools and processes used in commercial environments.
Sameer Dixit, Corporate Vice President and Head of Data, AI and Integration, Persistent, said the market now requires a different level of engineering discipline. "The AI market is shifting from isolated pilots to enterprise-wide operationalization, demanding engineers fluent in governed data, scalable platforms and production-grade execution. Our exclusive AI Hackathon with Databricks and MSOE equips students with real-world platform experience and engineering discipline from day one. This approach is rooted in Persistent's hackathon DNA. 'Semicolons', our flagship global annual hackathon, has consistently turned ideas into enterprise-grade solutions, and we are now extending that proven model into academia. Strengthening this connection between academia and industry is key to sustaining innovation in the years ahead."
Databricks framed the effort around the growing importance of integrated data and AI environments. Companies are increasingly standardising on platforms that combine data management, analytics and AI development, meaning new recruits are expected to understand both model development and the underlying data foundations.
John Young, Global Managing Director - Partner Solution Architects, Databricks, said unified platforms are changing what employers need from early-career recruits. "AI is only as powerful as the data foundations behind it, and organizations today are standardizing on platforms that bring data, analytics and AI together. Preparing talent to work in these unified environments is becoming critical. Collaborations like this with Persistent and MSOE help students build that foundation early, so they can contribute meaningfully from day one in enterprise settings. Strengthening this connection between academia and industry is key to sustaining innovation in the years ahead."
Academic link
The Milwaukee School of Engineering said the programme gave students a perspective beyond standard coursework. By working with industry practitioners, participants were exposed to the constraints and expectations that shape AI work in commercial teams, including governance, reliability and workflow discipline.
Derek Riley, PhD, Professor, Program Director of Computer Science, Milwaukee School of Engineering, said the exercise changed how students approached their studies. "The support from Persistent and Databricks has been transformative for the MSOE AI Club and our members. The hackathon brought valuable motivation, perspective and experience into the classroom, and challenged students to think beyond the academic lessons of their classwork. These experiences play an important role in how we prepare graduates to navigate a rapidly evolving AI landscape and deliver value for their future employers."