Microsoft Canada and 12 post-secondary institutions including the University of British Columbia (UBC) and Vancouver Community College (VCC) have announced the Canada Skills Program.
Launching this fall, the program will bolster the data & AI skills and employability of more than 4,500 students in diploma, degree and continuing education programs.
The Canada Skills program provides opportunities for students to acquire in-demand digital skills and certifications enabling them to graduate with both a Microsoft certification, as well as their institution’s credential.
“The pandemic has accelerated digital transformation at unimaginable rates, making skills in cloud, data and AI more important than ever,” said Kevin Peesker, President, Microsoft Canada.
“Microsoft developed the Canada Skills Program to help strengthen the innovation economy by building a talent pipeline equipped with the skills they need for future success.”
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To facilitate the Canada Skills Program at local institutions, Microsoft is training and certifying almost 100 faculty as Microsoft Certified Trainers at colleges, polytechnics and universities, providing the fundamental skills that are in high demand as the economy emerges from the challenges caused by COVID-19.
Institutions will combine Microsoft’s curriculum alongside existing coursework to skill students in Data and AI technologies and prepare students to take industry-recognized Microsoft Certifications including Azure AI Engineer, Azure Data Scientist, Azure Data Engineer, Azure Administrator, Azure Solutions Architect and Azure Fundamentals.
“The global economic recovery will be significantly rooted in innovations which require these skills,” said Anthony Salcito, Vice President of Worldwide Education, Microsoft. “As a global technology leader, we have a responsibility to ensure future generations of workers have the tools they need to succeed, and to help strengthen our economies overall.”
UBC and VCC are among the first 12 post-secondary institutions to sign on with the Microsoft Canada Skills Program.