Skills for the Future
Welcome to Microsoft’s Skills for the Future guide. Are you in school and wondering about what you want to be when you grow up? Are you a parent, who could use a little guidance to help put your kid on the path to future success? Are you an educator tasked with nurturing our future leaders? Browse these resources to learn how Computer Science, STEM and coding could help today’s school students land their dream jobs tomorrow. The future is waiting!
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Career pathfinder
Are you in school and wondering about what you want to be when you grow up? Are you a parent, who could use a little guidance to help put your kid on the path to future success? Are you an educator tasked with nurturing our future leaders? Browse these resources to learn how Computer Science, STEM and coding could help today’s school students land their dream jobs tomorrow. The future is waiting!
The college career conundrum
Are you in college or university and worrying about how you are going to find a job in a digitally-driven workforce? Take a look through these resources to find out how you can overcome job search dilemmas, create a CV for the future world of work and land your dream job.
Equality matters
Are you a young woman or girl considering pursuing a career in science or technology? Are you wondering if this is an appropriate career choice for a woman or if it might be better suited to a man? Take a look through these stories to find out how women across the Middle East and Africa are using their digital skills to pursue careers in technology and find out how you can too!
A digital cloud ready workforce
Are you in the working world? Have you been told about the importance of upskilling, but unsure how to obtain these skills while working full-time? Browse these resources to find out how to access skills that will give you the edge in the increasingly digital world of work.
Career pathfinder
Coding for future employment – Celebrating teachers as the change makers
The world is transitioning into the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and with this comes the tension between teaching what is advised in the national curriculum, and feeling compelled to introduce the digital future.
5 pieces of advice I would give myself in high school
During a field visit to a small, impoverished village just outside Cairo, Egypt, Ghada Khalifa encountered a young man who told her of his journey to employment. “He was enrolled in a learnership program at a company that was located far away from his village.”
Preparing today’s students for the world of tomorrow
Tomorrow’s leaders are sitting in today’s classrooms. But will they be ready to lead in a digital world? According to Microsoft research, conducted in collaboration with McKinsey & Co, with today’s advances in technology, by 2030 up to 375 million people will need to switch from the work they are doing today.
Microsoft’s Career Pathfinder
Start exploring resources to gain these skills today
Microsoft Digital Skills
Resources designed to provide access to computer science education for all youth to help prepare them for the jobs of tomorrow
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Code.Org
Code.org® is a nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to computer science in schools and increasing participation by women and underrepresented minorities
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Meet Code Creators
Live Q&A with professionals who use code to create amazing things
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The college career conundrum
Advice for graduates entering a digital workforce
Graduates often hear the same advice on repeat. Write your CV like this, don’t post inappropriate content on social media, dress professionally for an interview, maintain eye-contact, don’t have a weak handshake etc.
The CV of the Future
Graduation is an exciting time. You’ve come to the end your tertiary education, and you’re beginning the path to your prospective career. It’s time to use your qualification to enter the real world.
How I used my degree to land my dream job
Microsoft’s Director of Education for the Middle East and Africa might be a leader in a multinational technology company today, but would you believe that he attended university at a time when PCs weren’t even invented?
How to overcome job search dilemmas
There’s no doubt that the job-hunting process has changed significantly over time, from finding job posts on local community boards, to searching the classifieds in newspapers and finally moving the job search to online.
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Equality matters
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Empowered to inspire others
Female entrepreneurs in the Middle East and Africa face a wide variety of different challenges, including societal pressure on women to stay at home, a gender gap in the technology field, and structural disadvantages in fund-raising and investments. But, despite this they are overcoming many barriers.
Increasing access to digital skills through partnerships
Growing up Grace Kapinga had hopes of becoming an information technology (IT) professional. But when she fled her native Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to seek refuge in Malawi, she wasn’t sure what her future held.
In conversation with a mentor
According to the National Centre for Women and Information Technology, despite 80% of women working in STEM careers reporting that they love their work, 32% are likely to quit their jobs.
Debunking female employment myths
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Heads Up! Why female role models matter
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If you are looking for a fun way to teach girls about female heroes and get them engaged with STEM, download the free #MakeWhatsNext Heads Up game and instructions below. Let’s make female role models more visible!
A digital cloud ready workforce
Future proof your career by upskilling and reskilling
An increasing number of organisations around the world are looking for new ways to upskill their workforce to fill a growing amount of jobs created by the digital revolution.
Explore resources to support pathways to 21st century jobs
Technology is creating a new digital economy, full of economic opportunities. But for too many people across the Middle East and Africa (MEA), these opportunities remain out of reach because they lack the digital skills required to be successful in the new world of work.
Tomorrow’s computer science experts are in today’s offices
Companies and employees are increasingly aware that digital skills are paramount to remaining relevant and employable in the 21st century. Advancements in technology like cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI) are transforming economies and reshaping workplaces at an unprecedented rate.
Why your skills development is my greatest passion
Anyone familiar with Jaime Galviz knows that he is passionate about increasing access to digital skills for everyone. As Microsoft Middle East and Africa Chief Marketing and Operations Officer, Jaime is often found speaking on the topic at events and in the media, encouraging decision-makers to ensure youth and working-age populations are adequately equipped with the skills of the future.