Microsoft Launches Initiative For People With Disabilities

Microsoft also wants to make it easier for people with disabilities to access digital technologies. With the new “SkillAll” initiative, the company provides them with technical knowledge and thus increases their chances on the job market.

Interested parties can take part in a six-week training program, the Microsoft initiative “SkillAll”. There, people with disabilities learn and deepen the use of well-known Microsoft programs, including Azure, Microsoft 365, and Power Platform. The course takes place online and is supervised by mentors from the tech company. In the end, the participants can take an exam that certifies their successful use of the programs. The practical test and the certification are free of charge.

Unemployment rate has risen since the corona pandemic

The program aims to increase the chances of people with disabilities in the labor market. Digital skills are becoming increasingly important in the job, while at the same time the labor market situation is becoming increasingly difficult: during the pandemic, the unemployment rate for people with disabilities has increased. Compared to the period before the Corona crisis, this was eight percent higher in October 2021. This is the result of the “Inclusion Barometer Work 2021” by Aktion Mensch.

In order not to slip into long-term unemployment, special qualifications are important. This also includes technical knowledge, as conveyed by the “SkillAll” initiative. Microsoft is holding an informational event on February 15 that anyone interested can attend.