This archive report was first published on 1 July 2020.
On July 1, 2020, Microsoft Corp announced a new global skills initiative aimed at bringing more digital skills to 25 million people worldwide by the end of the year.
The move is in response to the global economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, with the goal of accelerating economic recovery, especially for those hardest hit by job losses.
The initiative includes immediate steps to help those looking to reskill and pursue an in-demand job, combining existing and new resources from LinkedIn, GitHub, and Microsoft.
Key components of the initiative include:
- Using data to identify in-demand jobs and the skills needed to fill them.
- Providing free access to learning paths and content to help people develop the skills these positions require.
- Offering low-cost certifications and free job-seeking tools to help people who develop these skills pursue new jobs.
The initiative starts with data on jobs and skills from the LinkedIn Economic Graph and provides free access to content in LinkedIn Learning, Microsoft Learn, and the GitHub Learning Lab.
Microsoft is backing the effort with $20 million in cash grants to help non-profit organizations worldwide assist those who need it most.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said, “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.”
