​The speed and scale of technological innovation we are seeing today is unprecedented and instills optimism in a demanding economy. The new wave of technology offers enormous potential for our efforts to create richer, cleaner, healthier and more sustainable communities. We all have an incredible opportunity to develop and improve our digital skills to unlock innovation and business value, helping to shape a better future.

According to the World Economic Forum, 42% of jobs will require different skills within the next three years, and more than 1 billion workers will need reskilling by 2030. In Romania, the rate of growth of digital skills is lower than in other EU countries. . Our country ranks 27th out of 27 EU member states in the 2022 edition of the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), which indicates a significant digital divide. In this sense, economic development can also be supported by providing workers with the skills they need to succeed and thrive in this digital economy.

As an organization that plays an important role in transforming society through the development of new technologies, Microsoft is committed to ensuring that everyone is present in this digital future through talent development, education and engagement.

A culture of continuous learning is necessary to attract and develop talent

Hybrid and flexible work environments are the new normal. In many organizations, this means that new skills, talents and competencies are required. IDC research shows that only 3.5% of workers in Central and Eastern Europe have the necessary digital skills. In this hybrid environment, employees still need to feel that they have access to development opportunities, that they can continuously learn and improve their knowledge. To foster this mindset, it is critical that organizations create a culture of lifelong learning. Because of this culture, Microsoft is constantly learning throughout the organization, as well as from its customers, and offers a variety of learning and development opportunities.

“It is important that all people have access to technology and digital skills to meet current and future needs. Romania has the potential to become a regional digital hub, and education and digital skills development are important factors. We are proud to have facilitated the qualification and reskilling of more than 230,000 Romanians in the last two years through participation in free online courses from Microsoft, LinkedIn and GitHub. Another successful initiative aimed at the public sector is our qualification program, which is carried out in cooperation with the Romanian government. We are delighted that this programme, which aimed to build the necessary skills for 1,000 people from over 30 government agencies, has won the ‘Educational Program of the Year’ award from the Association of Employers in the Software and Services Industry (ANIS). ) from Romania. Microsoft continues to help people and organizations in Romania close the skills gap and build a brighter digital future.” stated Bohdan Putinika, regional manager in Romania and Moldova.

Technology for business development by improving the qualifications of clients and partners

With always-connected products, technology can drive key business outcomes: getting work done, reskilling and upskilling, improving productivity and creating career opportunities. And the new generation of AI will significantly change the situation. According to Microsoft’s 2023 Work Trend Index, 82% of executives expect employees to need new skills in the age of artificial intelligence. This new AI-driven skill set will have ripple effects across every industry and organization. It is extremely important for Microsoft to ensure that all customers and partners have access to up-to-date and up-to-date information to grow their business.

• Microsoft Enterprise Skilling Initiative (ESI) provides hands-on training to learn and improve technical skills and knowledge of Microsoft and Azure technologies for commercial and government customers.
• Platform Microsoft Learn provides access to a comprehensive collection of training and certification options that enable customers and partners to learn about technology as they transform their business and support them in their transition to technology-enabled workplaces.
• Platform Microsoft virtual training days also available to customers with multiple training sessions on Azure infrastructure, data and artificial intelligence, Windows Server, Linux and OSS, Microsoft 365, Cyber ​​​​Security, Dynamics 365 and Power Platform.

Free access to resources for everyone

According to the Microsoft Digital Futures Index, countries where people have better digital skills and use digital technologies and services are more productive, competitive and greener. In 2022, Microsoft and LinkedIn launched a program to help 10 million people acquire digital skills. Those interested can access 350 courses and six new certificates to acquire essential skills for six of the most in-demand professions in the digital economy. This new program builds on the Global Skills Initiative, which has helped 80 million job seekers access digital learning resources.

Preparing students and teachers for the digital future

With more than 200,000 developers, Romania ranks second in the EEC for the number of IT professionals. And this talent must constantly learn new skills to cope with challenges. At the same time, only 28% of Romanians between the ages of 16 and 74 have at least basic digital skills (DESI 2022 report), so implementing a strategy to improve these skills is a priority. Through long-term cooperation with organizations in the private and public sectors in Romania, Microsoft contributes to this goal of reducing the digital divide.

• Cloud Employability Accelerator, schedule developed in partnership with the EOS Romania Foundation, offers students technical skills that improve their employment prospects. Over 3 years, 3,000 students from 16 universities were trained in Azure, Office 365 or Power Platform, and 2,000 students received Microsoft certificates.
• Microsoft Partner School facilitates digital transformation in schools with the Microsoft Education Transformation Framework, a guide for educators. Over the past 3 years, more than 100,000 teachers from 161 schools have received Office 365 training.
• EOS Digital Academy supports students and employees in developing key skills for adaptation to the new labor market. To date, more than 3,000 people have completed this program.

In this digital age, continuous learning and professional development is essential at every stage of the life journey. Many of the jobs we may see in the future don’t exist yet, and the skills workers need to perform their jobs effectively are changing. Lifelong learning must therefore be a priority for all of us, and those who play a role in it – companies, organisations, public and private sectors – have a responsibility to make it easier for everyone to access the resources they need to build the right skillset, including digital skills.

Article supported by Microsoft