Linked In, Microsoft, GitHub Offer Pandemic Relief through Online Education Training Courses & Certification…
As part of the Microsoft Ecosystem, Linked In, GitHub and Microsoft are helping 25 million jobseekers get back to work through a global skills initiative aimed at helping workers learn the digital skills needed for the new economy.
They are working together across various Microsoft-owned platforms to make all the resources available for free for everyone in one place — opportunity.linkedin.com.
Linked In is one of the less flashy, less talked-about social networks but it still holds its own with an impressive amount of traffic.
I actually have found that I enjoy using it and found it to be a great resource for industry news and updates and of course the networking that’s built into it.
The more I have used it the more I have discovered just how useful it is. One of the best things about it is the LinkedIn Learning training site (formerly Lynda.com), where one can follow expert-led courses on just about any professional subject.
Although normally a paid subscription service, they are now offering some course paths for free (see below!) during the pandemic.
LinkedIn, Microsoft and GitHub are offering “free learning paths mapped to jobs that are in-demand, discounted Microsoft certifications to validate skills, and best practices for job searching and interview prepping”.
As per Linked In’s Official Blog:
“Using data, we identified 10 jobs that are in-demand in today’s economy and are well positioned to continue to grow in the future. These 10 jobs were identified as having the greatest number of job openings, have had steady growth over the past four years, pay a livable wage, and require skills that can be learned online.
“Today, we’re making the 10 LinkedIn Learning Paths aligned with these jobs available for everyone for free. Each learning path includes a sequence of video content aimed at helping individuals broadly develop the core skills needed for a given role. These paths will be available at no cost through the end of March (2021), with updated or revised content to be added as needed, and are available in English, French, Spanish and German. In addition, Microsoft Learn is offering free and in-depth technical learning content that also supports these roles and job seekers pursuing developer roles can access the GitHub Learning Lab to practice their skills.”
via Linked In Official Blog
The is a GREAT opportunity to help individuals “digitally-upskill”, and is available for anyone to take advantage of by visiting opportunity.linkedin.com to see the current opportunities and learning paths available.
The 10 role-based learning paths are:
- Software developer – Become a Software Developer
- Sales representative – Become a Sales Representative
- Project manager – Become a Project Manager
- IT Administrator – Prepare for CompTIA Network+ Certification
- Customer service specialist – Become a Customer Service Specialist
- Digital marketer – Become a Digital Marketing Specialist
- IT support/help desk – Prepare for the CompTIA A+ Certification
- Data analyst – Become a Data Analyst
- Financial analyst – Become a Financial Analyst
- Graphic designer – Become a Graphic Designer
Additionally, to help job-seekers add to their skill-sets, Linked In is also offering four learning paths focused on soft skills with the goal of “helping professionals come up to speed on these skills as quickly as possible.”
These four learning paths are:
- Job seeker – Finding a Job During Challenging Economic Times
- Critical soft skills – Master In-Demand Professional Soft Skills
- Digital transformation – Digital Transformation in Practice: Virtual Collaboration Tools (combination of digital fluency and remote work)
- Allyship and Inclusive Conversations – Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging for All
This should be incentive for as many individuals as possible to learn new skills and add to their knowledge base.
For each of the 10 role-based learning paths, people will have free access to rich and comprehensive content from the LinkedIn Learning library of courses, all taught by industry-expert instructors. And at the end of each path, job seekers will receive a certificate of completion, which they can post on their LinkedIn profile to let recruiters and their network know about their acquired skills.
via Linked In Official Blog
Sources:
via Microsoft launches initiative to help 25 million people worldwide acquire the digital skills needed in a COVID-19 economy, June 30, 2020.
via Helping 25 Million Job Seekers Get Back to Work, June 30, 2020.
