Microsoft launches digital skills programme, aims at skilling 25 million people globally

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella on Wednesday launched an initiative to bring more digital skills to 25 million people worldwide by the end of the year. The company will offer free access to content in LinkedIn, Microsoft Learn, and the GitHub Learning Lab, and couples these with Microsoft Certifications and LinkedIn job seeking tools.

"Talent is everywhere but the opportunity is not. Over and over again, we see that when people have access to education and skilling, they create new economic opportunity for themselves, as well as their communities," said the India-born Nadella in a webcast. Microsoft will commit over $ 20 million in grants to help non profit organisations globally to assist people to learn digital skills

Microsoft COO Brad Smith said that an economic recovery requires skilled workforce globally.


"Within only a few months, COVID-19 has provoked a massive demand shock, setting off job losses that far exceed the scale of the Great Recession a decade ago. The world will need a broad economic recovery that will require in part the development of new skills among a substantial part of the global workforce," said Smith.