Microsoft, LinkedIn aim to help 250k companies make skills-based hires in 2021

In June 2020, Microsoft launched an initiative to help 25 million people worldwide acquire the digital skills needed in a pandemic-hit economy and nine months later the company has helped more than 30 million people in 249 countries gain access to digital skills. These included nearly 3 million from India.

Microsoft, together with LinkedIn, aims to help 250,000 companies globally make skills-based hires in 2021 to support a more inclusive skills-based labor market via a suite of new and existing tools and platforms, the company said on Tuesday.

The commitment builds on Microsoft's efforts to help people by extending through 2021 free LinkedIn Learning and Microsoft Learn courses and low-cost certifications that align to 10 of the most in-demand jobs.

LinkedIn will provide both new ways for job seekers to demonstrate their skills and new tools for employers to connect to candidates based on their skill proficiencies. 

Today's announcement also includes Carrer Coach, a new Teams for Education app powered by LinkedIn which will provide personalized guidance to support higher education students and institutions with workforce readiness.

Microsoft has also announced a new online service called Career Connector which will provide 50,000 job seekers worldwide with the opportunity to secure a tech-enabled job over the next three years. The service will focus on learners who have built skills via Microsoft's nonprofit and learning partners, with an emphasis on women and underrepresented minorities in technology.

Furthermore, Microsft is also extending all the free courses and low-cost certifications the company offered in its global skilling initiative via Microsoft Learners to the end of 2021. The low-cost certifications will also be extended beyond job seekers to students.

In June 2020, Microsoft launched an initiative to help 25 million people worldwide acquire the digital skills needed in a pandemic-hit economy and nine months later the company has helped more than 30 million people in 249 countries gain access to digital skills. These included nearly 3 million people from India.

"Together with LinkedIn, we are doubling down our efforts to re-design work in the region by supporting the development of a more inclusive skills-based labor market, creating more alternatives, greater flexibility, and accessible learning paths that connect people more readily with new job opportunities," said Microsoft Asia President, Ahmed Mazhari.