Microsoft, Manpower, Dell Computer and Jobs for the Future…

REDMOND, Wash., March 19, 1996 — The world’s leading software company, the world’s largest employment services firm, the world’s leading direct marketer of personal computers, and a prominent educational policy and research organization have teamed to launch a nationwide school-to-career pilot project.

Microsoft Corp., Manpower Inc., Dell Computer Corp. and Jobs for the Future have designed the project, called Employees for Tomorrow, to develop the full range of skills that today’s students will need for the jobs of the 21st century. School districts participating in Employees for Tomorrow include Boston; Lake Washington, Wash.; Louisville, Ky.; Milwaukee; and Philadelphia.

“There is no better use of technology than to enrich the education of young people and to prepare them for the workplace challenges of the coming decade,”
said Bill Gates, chairman and CEO of Microsoft.
“Helping students and teachers understand the technology that drives the workplace helps ensure that we’re doing our part to move both toward greater career success.”

Employees for Tomorrow is only the latest example of these companies’ continuing commitment to promote the effective use of technology and job-skills development in education by helping train teachers, advise parents, and motivate and reward students. This unique private and public partnership is emblematic of the types of alliances critical to the continued success of our educational system.

“Today’s students will need to be proficient in two languages – that of computers and that of quality service – in order to be successful in tomorrow’s jobs,”
said Mitchell Fromstein, chairman and CEO of Manpower.
“Manpower has already used its training programs to equip millions of workers worldwide with these skills. The Employees for Tomorrow initiative is an opportunity to share our expertise to help students develop into the kind of workers that employers need.”

Employees for Tomorrow began in January with the selection and training of 34 high school teachers and educators from the five districts. The teachers were introduced to Manpower’s computer training programs, called Skillware, in preparation for their use of Microsoft® Office business productivity software for the Windows®
95 operating system. The teachers also completed Manpower’s Putting Quality to Work training program, which equips workers with the skills to provide quality service to customers and co-workers. The training is based on extensive research into employers’ definition of a quality worker, a definition that encompasses attitude, the ability to work with others and to solve problems, and a willingness to go the extra mile. These workplace skills are critical to success on the job but often are not emphasized in the traditional school curriculum.

The teachers met at Microsoft’s Redmond, Wash., campus for a three-day institute
March 15-17 at which they received in-depth training that will enable them to pass on workplace skills to their students. Teachers were also taught how to use Microsoft Office for Windows 95 software, so they will be able to teach students how to use the essential business software they are likely to encounter in the workplace. Dell Computer Corp. completes the partnership by providing participating teachers with both desktop and portable systems for use in their classrooms.

Teachers will use Office for Windows 95 software with the Dell®
computers, as well as the quality skills they’ve learned from Manpower in school projects in which students will be challenged to solve complex, real-world problems. Examples include building a World Wide Web site about historical landmarks and formulating an engineering proposal for low-cost, energy-efficient housing. At the end of the school year, between May 15 to June 7, exhibitions in each district will highlight the students’ projects. In addition, following the program, both students and their teachers will have the opportunity to be placed by Manpower in a variety of jobs to further develop the software and workplace skills they have learned through the projects.

“In the context of dramatic corporate restructuring, ways of ensuring effective transitions between work and learning are becoming more vital by the minute,”
said Hilary Pennington, president of Jobs for the Future.
“This partnership between Jobs for the Future, Microsoft, Dell and Manpower will bring the best in technology, quality skills training, and employment opportunities to bear on the national effort to make education more effective for the 21st century. Microsoft and Manpower are performing a tremendous service to public education and the school-to-career movement through their involvement in and support of this project.”

Working with key education groups, Microsoft is committed to supporting a
“connected learning community”
in which all students have access to computers, each is empowered to pursue his or her own individual path of learning, and students, parents, educators and the community are connected. Through these efforts, Microsoft is providing programs that train teachers, advise parents, support libraries and museums, and motivate and reward students. Microsoft also works across the information technology industry with software and hardware developers to promote the effective use of technology in education. More information is available from the Microsoft home page on the World Wide Web at http://www.microsoft.com/k-12/.

Manpower, the world’s largest employment services firm, is committed to equipping workers with the most up-to-date skills needed by employers. The company’s Skillware training for computer technology and Putting Quality to Work training in quality service skills has equipped millions of workers around the world with the skills they need for on-the-job success. All the training is offered free to Manpower’s employees and has been shown to enhance employee marketability. Manpower operates more than 2,000 offices in 40 countries where this training is offered. The company employed more than 1.5 million workers last year.

As part of Dell Computer Corp.’s commitment to education, Dell created the Dell Education Alliance to further enhance computers and computer solutions in schools. By leveraging the best service and software support organization in the industry, the company is helping technology-aware school districts implement technology infrastructures – the most critical enabling technology for education in the information age.

Jobs for the Future (JFF) is a national nonprofit organization that conducts research, provides technical assistance, and proposes policy innovation on the interrelated issues of work and learning. Founded in 1983, its goal is to encourage policies and practices that prepare all citizens for effective transitions between learning and work. JFF is one of the leading organizations in the country working to improve the school-to-career transition of all youth.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.

Microsoft and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.

Dell is a registered trademark of Dell Computer Corp.

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