Microsoft YouthSpark is a global initiative to create economic opportunities
for 300 million youth over the next three years
Unemployment remains rife on the African continent. With almost 200 million people aged between 15 and 24 in Africa today, the youth community represents more than 60 per cent of
the continent's total population and accounts for 45 per cent of its growing
labour force. However, the imbalance between the demands of the labour
market and the supply of appropriately skilled workers in Africa is reaching
its breaking point. In light of this, Microsoft Corp.
(http://www.microsoft.com) today announced its ongoing commitment to driving
opportunities for African youth through its YouthSpark initiative.
Microsoft YouthSpark is a global initiative that aims to create
opportunities for 300 million youth in more than 100 countries during the
next three years. This companywide initiative includes Corporate Social
Investment (CSI) and other company programs - both new and enhanced -
empowering youth to imagine and realise their full potential by connecting
them with greater opportunities for education, employment and
entrepreneurship.
"It is a sad reality that while young Africans are more literate than their
parents, more of them remain unemployed," says Djam Bakhshandegi, CSI
Program Manager at Microsoft in Africa. "At the core of our YouthSpark and
other CSI activities is our belief that relevant innovation holds the key to
unlocking the answers to our most pressing challenges in the region. Through
YouthSpark, in sub-Saharan Africa alone, we have already reached over half a
million young people and made $1.1 million worth of software donations to
non-Government-organisations. In addition we have trained almost 30, 000
teachers through our Partners In Learning tools as well as equipping
hundreds of small & medium businesses with relevant start up skills.
As part of its broader strategy, Microsoft views Africa as a critical
investment market. Its flagship African investment and growth drive,
4Afrika, which YouthSpark falls under on the African continent, was
launched in February 2013. Through 4Afrika, Microsoft will actively engage
in Africa's economic development to improve its global competitiveness. By
2016, the Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative plans to help place tens of millions
of smart devices in the hands of African youth, bring 1 million African
small and medium enterprises (SMEs) online, up-skill 100,000 members of
Africa's existing workforce, and help an additional 100,000 recent graduates
develop skills for employability, 75 percent of which Microsoft will help
place in jobs.
"YouthSpark forms part of this 4Afrika vision and through YouthSpark, we are
paying specific attention to the next generation of our ecosystem through
our work with schools, students, start-ups and the developer community to
drive skills and ICT integration which will in turn trigger growth," says
Bakhshandegi. "Through our partnerships with governments, non-profit
organizations and businesses, Microsoft YouthSpark aims to empower youth to
imagine and realize their full potential."
Microsoft YouthSpark goes beyond philanthropy and brings together a range of
global programs that empower young people with access to technology and a
better education and inspire young people to imagine the opportunities they
have to realise their potential, including Office 365 for education, free
technology tools for all teachers and students to power learning and
collaboration, and Skype in the classroom, a free global community for
teachers to connect their students with others around the world. Other
YouthSpark initiatives include:
Partners in Learning Network
(http://www.microsoft.com/education/pil/partnersInLearning.aspx). An online
professional development platform for government officials, school leaders
and educators to help them with new approaches to teaching and learning,
using technology to help students develop 21st century skills.
Microsoft IT Academy
(http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/itacademy/default.aspx). A career-ready
education program available to all accredited academic institutions,
providing students with 21st century technology.
DreamSpark (https://www.dreamspark.com). Free access to Microsoft
designer and developer tools for students and educators, helping advance key
technical skills during the high school and college years, a critical time
in a student's development.
Imagine Cup (http://www.imaginecup.com). The world's premier
youth technology competition, which challenges students to apply their
knowledge and passion to develop technical solutions for social impact, to
develop engaging games, and to demonstrate innovation that can benefit
others, local communities and the world.
Students to Business
(http://www.microsoft.com/studentstobusiness/home/default.aspx). A program
that matches university students with jobs or internships in the technology
industry.
BizSpark (http://www.microsoft.com/bizspark). A software startup
program, providing young entrepreneurs with access to Microsoft software
development tools and connections with key industry players, including
investors, to help them start a new business.
Employability Portals. An all-inclusive platform that links users
- who wish to plan their career, get career advisory, acquire training,
build their capacity, apply for jobs and internships - with customized
resources, counselors, mentors and jobs.