More than 30 million people in 249 countries and territories have gained access to digital skills, thanks to the support of Microsoft Corp., which surpassed its initial goal of supporting 25 million last June. Now, the two companies expand their commitment and will maintain the education program, which includes several training courses and which will be available free of charge until December 31, 2021.
From factory workers to retail associates to truck drivers, millions of people turned to online learning courses from GitHub, LinkedIn, and Microsoft during the pandemic to help them prepare for and secure the roles most in demand, including customer service. , project management and data analysis.
As detailed in the official Microsoft blog, Brad Smith, president of the company, the effort is based on a vision of what is needed for a more inclusive post-pandemic recovery.
“COVID-19 has led to record unemployment figures, disrupting the livelihoods of people around the world. A century ago, the United States and other governments responded to the twin crises created by the Great Depression and World War II by investing in the infrastructure and people of their time. This included not only roads and bridges, but also ubiquitous access to inventions such as electricity and the telephone and the largest educational expansion in human history, ”says Smith.
That’s why Microsoft and LinkedIn are joining forces to help people by extending free LinkedIn Learning and Microsoft Learn courses to 2021, as well as low-cost certifications that align with 10 of the most in-demand jobs.
The next stage of the initiative lays a new foundation for a skills-based economy through a set of new tools and platforms designed to connect qualified job seekers with employers.
FastTech Media Digital Skills Program
In Pakistan, a large number of peoples are learning digital skills to reduce unemployment in the country. FastTech Media is also providing digital skills training to the students in Java, web development, SEO, digital marketing, lead generation, content writing, and graphics designing. FastTech Media is helping the people in Bahawalpur (city of South Punjab) to reduce unemployment.
According to information published by LinkedIn in the “Booming Jobs” report, the Data and Analytics sector registered a growth of 68% in 2020, with 18% of women filling these vacancies. For its part, the Customer Service sector reported a change in the methods for performing this service derived from the pandemic, which generated a 58% increase in customer service positions. This included the retail and call center sectors, which turned their face-to-face methods into virtual ones.
New features on LinkedIn
LinkedIn plans to help 250,000 companies make skills-based recruiting this year through new and existing recruiting products. The company will provide new ways for job seekers to demonstrate their skills and new tools for employers to connect with candidates based on their competencies, including:
- Expressive, inclusive, and personalized new LinkedIn profile features. They will help people share more about themselves, their career, and their goals in a more authentic and engaging way. This includes a video cover story (in English, Cover Story) that allows job applicants to demonstrate their soft skills to recruiters and hiring managers. 65% of hiring managers believe that a standard resume is insufficient to assess a candidate’s soft skills, and nearly 80% believe that video has become more important when screening candidates. *
- Content creators mode. Creators who regularly share unique insights, post content, and are working to grow their LinkedIn following can now have the new “Content Creator Mode” on their profile dashboard. This will help them highlight their content to grow their network of followers. Creators will be able to share more about their expertise through hashtags at the top of their profiles and better display their content by moving their Activity and Featured sections higher on their profile. With the Content Creator Mode, you can build your following by adding the “Follow” button to your profile.
- Services Page. Service provider users will be able to grow their business by showcasing their services. Freelancers and small business owners will be able to create a dedicated Services Page directly from their profile in which they will list the services they offer, which will help them attract new clients. Enlisting services gives members greater reach into the global LinkedIn community of nearly 740 million members. New ways to manage services and interactions with buyers on the Service Pages will be added in the coming months. Similarly, it will soon be possible to view ratings and reviews directly from your services page.
- The greatest access to the Skills Graph on LinkedIn. It will help create a common skills language for individuals, employers, educational institutions, and government agencies to help improve workforce planning, hiring, and development programs (available in English only).
“For a long time, the way people were hired was based solely on the job they had, their level of education, or the people they knew. That is beginning to change. Workers now better understand and articulate the skills they have and the skills they need, while companies seek not only those familiar credentials but also the skills that workers in often-overlooked communities have to get the job done. We want to help accelerate that change, “said Ryan Roslansky, CEO of LinkedIn.
