Michigan Web Design
Michigan Partners With Microsoft On Free IT Training Initiative
Lt. Gov. John Cherry says he and Microsoft representatives are looking forward to providing Michigan residents with free technology training via Microsoft's Elevate America program.
The initiative is being implemented through 25 Michigan Works agencies located throughout the state. Residents looking to sharpen their technical skills or develop them from scratch can call 800-285-9675 to find the Michigan Works branch in their area and request enrollment. After the request for enrollment is accepted, residents are provided with an access code that can be used to redeem a voucher on the Microsoft Web site. Those interested are encouraged to choose the learning course they want to participate in before requesting a voucher. Elevate America is currently available and training begins immediately. Trainees simply need Web access and a free Windows Live account. From there, they can begin training, save their progress and sign back in to continue at their leisure. All vouchers are being distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis, and they must be redeemed by April 11 of this year. Microsoft Aims to Boost Economy Officially launched in February 2009, the Microsoft's Elevate America program represents the software giant's commitment to stimulating the U.S. economy and boosting competitiveness on a global scale. The goal is to provide the workforce with access to the training and skills necessary for jobs in the burgeoning information technology field. Announced as a three-year plan, Microsoft aims to provide technology training to up to 2 million U.S. residents by 2012. Elevate America is slated to provide approximately 1 million vouchers that will allow residents in participating states to enroll in Microsoft online learning classes and select Microsoft certification exams at no cost. It doesn't matter whether a person is well-versed in IT or simply interested in acquiring general computing skills. Elevate America strives to prepare those with varying levels of experience for today's technology-driven workplace. Microsoft is offering a number of online courses, allowing residents to receive free training on everything from basic computing to more advanced areas like computer programming and software development. Web Programmer Sees Potential Dayton Brown, a .NET programmer and Web developer from Southfield, believes Elevate America has the potential to have a positive impact on the local economy. "It's a nice effort on the part of Microsoft to help get the economy back on track, " says Brown, who feels he was pushed into the technology sector after he was permanently laid off from his warehouse job of five years. "Information technology is quickly changing the way business and everyday tasks are conducted, " Brown says. "Picking up skills in this area will undoubtedly pay off for people who are serious about traveling a new career path. I just wish this program was around when I got my certifications three years ago." Brown says he appeared to be scaling the proverbial corporate ladder at his warehouse job before the economy halted his climb. "I was promoted to a lead position within my first two years on the job, " explains Brown. "All the hard work still didn't stop me from getting the ax when they decided to cut back. I was already playing around with basic Web design, so that extra time off gave me the motivation to get deeper into coding and finally take a few training courses online." Some Professionals Remain Skeptical State officials are hopeful that Elevate America will lead to good news for Michigan's pool of unemployed, which, at 14.6 percent, is still the nation's highest, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. By Contel Bradford - Contel Bradford is a seasoned freelance writer, journalist, and author of multiple books, including The iPod & iTunes Handbook. Though he specializes in numerous areas, Contel truly excels in the field o...Next page: How To Design Cars
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