Over the last year, there has been a significant uptake in digital skilling to fill the exponential rise in new tech jobs. In fact, the World Economic Forum is forecasting that nearly 150 million new tech jobs will be created in the next five years. Microsoft is committed to supporting learners interested in upskilling and building a more inclusive skills-based economy.
Today, we are announcing that Microsoft is collaborating with Coursera to bring new opportunities for skilling in Azure via three new Specializations: Azure Fundamentals, AI Fundamentals, and Data Fundamentals. Coursera is a leading learning platform, and we are delighted to bring on-demand Azure content to their roughly 80 million learners.
Fireside chat with Kim Akers, Microsoft Worldwide Learning Corporate Vice President,
and Jeff Maggioncalda, Coursera CEO
New opportunities for Azure skilling
The Azure Fundamentals Specialization gives learners the foundational understanding of Azure cloud services along with the knowledge to help build cloud solutions. Moreover, learners can expect to learn about Azure general security, network security, identity, governance, privacy, and compliance features, as well as pricing and support. This course helps learners gain a solid foundation in Azure and prepare for the Microsoft AZ-900 exam.
“Azure is just such an incredible value creation platform and job creation platform. We are excited to be part of this process, of helping people get the kinds of skills that will be where jobs are going.”—Jeff Maggioncalda, CEO, Coursera
In May, we will launch AI Fundamentals and Data Fundamentals Specializations on Coursera. AI Fundamentals will teach learners about artificial intelligence (AI) topics, like machine learning, computer vision, natural language processing, and conversational AI. Data Fundamentals will dive deep into the roles and tasks involved in using Azure to store, process, manage, and analyze data.
With over 95 percent of Fortune 500 companies using Azure, learners can be confident that after taking these courses and completing their certifications, they will have a strong set of skills that are in high demand in today’s workforce. In fact, according to a March 2020 IDC Survey Spotlight, “certified IT professionals get promoted more than 50 percent faster than non-certified IT professionals.”
Scholarships for Women in Cloud
As part of this initiative, we are also offering over 600 eligible Women in Cloud members free access to all three Specializations and their respective certifications. Women in Cloud is a community-led, economic development organization with a mission to create $1 billion in economic access and opportunity by 2030 by helping women with the tools, knowledge, and networks they need.
“We are excited to partner with Microsoft and Coursera to provide access to Azure skilling and certifications to advance digital skilling for women that enable them to secure economically fulfilling jobs in the current market.”—Chaitra Vedullapalli, President, Women in Cloud
Enroll in the Azure Fundamentals Specialization on Coursera today.