Microsoft launches national digital skills program

Microsoft has launched a National Skills Program in Australia aimed at building the nation’s future-ready workforce.

The new initiative was launched in South Australia, where Microsoft is involved in a pilot with the SA Department of State Development and the City of Salisbury to provide digital skills to automotive supply chain workers made redundant by the closure of the Holden plant late last year.

Participants in the pilot will be given access to digital skills training and certifications, as well as a two-day workshop aimed at helping them identify a new career path and the skills they will need to follow this path.

The program will be expanded nationally to focus on helping Australians in the workforce and at danger of being left behind in the increasingly technology-driven economy.

Microsoft is planning several further pilot programs with both private and public sector organisations aimed at determining which approaches to reskilling workers are most effective and scaling these up to create a lasting impact.

Microsoft is engaged in similar programs internationally — in the UK, for example, Microsoft is providing free digital skills training for public sector workers and has created 11,000 digital apprenticeships as part of the British government’s new industrial strategy.

To coincide with the launch of the program, Microsoft also released the results of new research outlining the key areas which must be addressed if Australia is to prepare its workforce for a digital future.

These include encouraging employees to participate in upskilling their workforces for the digital era, auditing current skill levels and creating databases to understand current and future skills requirements and expanding digital literacy through self-assessment tools and greater support for digital literacy programs.

“Digital technologies are changing the nature of work and Australia’s economy. It’s our priority to help people navigate the threats and opportunities presented by the digital revolution, which is being driven by the growth of cloud computing, AI and machine learning, among other powerful innovations,” Microsoft Australia Managing Director Steven Worrall said.

“It’s one thing to pay lip service to the skills gap. It’s another to take action to bridge it. This report, in conjunction with the National Skills Program, will provide the blueprint for how we can futureproof Australia and ensure that citizens are embracing digital skills and becoming more confident with technologies that’ll help them achieve progress in their working lives.”

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/4Max

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