Microsoft, LinkedIn launch digital skills program
Microsoft and LinkedIn have announced the next step in the Skills for Jobs program, providing free access to 350 courses and six new Career Essentials Certificates for six of the most in-demand jobs in the digital economy.
Microsoft and LinkedIn will also be offering 50,000 LinkedIn Learning scholarships to help people get ahead in their skilling journey. By 2025, Microsoft will help train and certify 10 million people with skills for in demand jobs.
The launch builds on the Global Skills Initiative, which helped 80 million jobseekers around the world access digital skilling resources.
To date, Microsoft has engaged more than 14 million learners in Asia via LinkedIn, Microsoft Learn and non-profit skilling efforts. The top six LinkedIn Learning Pathways in Asia were: Customer Service Specialist, Critical Soft Skills, Project Manager, Digital Marketing Specialist, Data Analyst and Software Developer.
Using data from LinkedIn and the Burning Glass Institute, Microsoft analysed job listings to determine six of the roles in greatest demand for the program: Administrative Professional, Project Manager, Business Analyst, Systems Administrator, Software Developer or Data Analyst. The new courses and certificates will be offered in seven languages, English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Simplified Chinese, and Japanese.
This expansion builds on Microsoft's commitment to supporting inclusive economic opportunity so learners around the world have equitable access to the skills, technology, and opportunity needed to succeed in a digitising economy.
"Asia is home to so much untapped potential and we believe the region has an incredibly bright digital future," says Ahmed Mazhari, President, Microsoft Asia said.
"Equipping people with the right digital skills is crucial to access job opportunities in tech that will drive inclusive economic growth," he says.
"Together with LinkedIn and our partners, offering skilling support for the most sought-after digital roles will help workers gain a competitive edge, contribute to our vibrant tech ecosystem, and accelerate innovation that strengthens Asia's digital economy."
The new Career Essentials Certificates are designed to help learners bridge the gap from basic digital literacy to more advanced technical skills training and gain certifications that will be valuable to securing employment. Once a learning pathway is completed, learners will receive a LinkedIn badge to denote their certificate and indicate fluency in the skillset to employers.
All courses are available on LinkedIn at opportunity.linkedin.com. In addition, Microsoft-developed courses are also available on Microsoft Community Training (MCT) and in downloadable format for use on other Learning Management Systems (LMS) for nonprofit partners.
