- Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) recently announced a global skills initiative aimed to bring digital skills to 25 million people worldwide by the end of the year
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) recently announced a new global skills initiative that is aimed at bringing digital skills to 25 million people worldwide by the end of the year. This announcement is in response to the global economic crisis associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. And the expanded access to digital skills is a major step in accelerating economic recovery, especially for the people hardest hit by job losses.
The initiative includes immediate steps to help those who are looking to reskill and pursue an in-demand job. Plus it brings together every part of Microsoft while also combining existing and new resources from LinkedIn and GitHub as well.
This includes the use of data to identify in-demand jobs and the skills needed to fill them and free access to learning paths and content to help people develop the skills these positions require. Plus it also includes low-cost certifications and free job-seeking tools to help people who develop these skills pursue new jobs.
This comprehensive technology initiative is going to build on data and digital technology. And it starts with data on jobs and skills from the LinkedIn Economic Graph. The initiative also provides free access to content in LinkedIn Learning, Microsoft Learn, and the GitHub Learning Lab. These resources also couples those with Microsoft Certifications and LinkedIn job seeking tools. And the resources can all be accessed at a central location: opportunity.linkedin.com, available online in four languages: English, French, German and Spanish.
Microsoft is also backing these efforts with $20 million in cash grants to help nonprofit organizations worldwide assist the people who need it most. And one-quarter of this total ($5 million) will be provided in cash grants to community-based nonprofit organizations that are led by and serve communities of color in the United States. And Microsoft is also pledging to make stronger data and analytics (including data from the LinkedIn Economic Graph) available to governments around the world so they can better assess local economic needs.
A new learning app is also being created in Microsoft Teams designed to help employers skill and upskill new and current employees as people return to work and as the economy adds jobs.
Key Quotes:
“COVID-19 has created both a public health and an economic crisis, and as the world recovers, we need to ensure no one is left behind. Today, we’re bringing together resources from Microsoft inclusive of LinkedIn and GitHub to reimagine how people learn and apply new skills — and help 25 million people facing unemployment due to COVID-19 prepare for the jobs of the future.”
– Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella
“The biggest brunt of the current downturn is being borne by those who can afford it the least. Unemployment rates are spiking for people of color and women, as well as younger workers, people with disabilities and individuals with less formal education. Our goal is to combine the best in technology with stronger partnerships with governments and nonprofits to help people develop the skills needed to secure a new job.”
– Microsoft President Brad Smith
“Creating opportunity for every member of the global workforce drives everything we do at LinkedIn. As a part of the Microsoft ecosystem, we have the unique ability to help job seekers around the world — especially those who have been disproportionately disadvantaged during the COVID-19 crisis — gain the skills and find the jobs they deserve. We’re proud to be bringing the right data about what the jobs and skills of the future will be to create the right learning paths to help 25 million job seekers find their next opportunities. We’re making it all available at opportunity.linkedin.com.”
– LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky
