Blacks at Microsoft (BAM) Innovation Conference 2022

Blacks at Microsoft (BAM) Innovation Conference 2022

Blacks at Microsoft (BAM) Resource Group announces BAM Innovation Conference 2022. The second annual event seeks to bring together tech professionals, students, future Microsoft employees, etc. to learn, share, mentor, and collaborate. Registration for the event is free and it welcomes everyone irrespective of their background to join the virtual event on December 7th.

BAM Innovation Conference 2022 event information details poster Blacks at Microsoft event

BAM Innovation Conference 2022

BAM Innovation Conference 2022 is a platform for black professionals, students, and job seekers in the community to learn, innovate, mentor, and gain exposure to the tech industry. It aims to empower the community with the tools, resources, and network needed to establish and advance a career in tech.

In the end, we seek to build better candidates, enhance diversity and continue to build workplaces that reflect the world we live in.

The event will host a variety of activities including sessions that dive into a wide range of tech topics. A panel session and an opportunity to interact with speakers and attendees. There will be details on how to get training and certification programs across a range of Microsoft apps and services.

As every Black experience in tech is different, we’re bringing a full showcase of different speakers and topics to expand your perspective. The BAM Innovation Conference agenda is stacked with technical and non-technical topics that include cloud, startups, gaming, AI and careers in tech.

Click the link for more details, register, and participate in the Blacks at Microsoft event.

The event will have a session focusing on Microsoft’s footprint on the African Continent titled “Africa 2040: Empowerment, Innovation, Transformation“. Which will look at the story of the Microsoft Africa Development Centre in Kenya and Nigeria. This session will feature Microsoft ADC MDs Catherine Muraga, and Gafar Lawal. Other panelists are Azure Global Emerging Markets Engineering General Manager Bambo Sofola, and Abolade Gbadegesin Developer and Technical Fellow at Microsoft.

BAM effects on Africa

The BAM community has inspired and pushed for a number of initiatives on the African continent. These include organizing the NexTech Africa conference and the Insiders For Good fellowship program. The Africa to Redmond Hack for Africa program and Microsoft African University Recruitment Program for recent graduate engineers. That provides successful candidates with relocation to the USA and Canada. As well as the building of a Microsoft software engineering team in Africa. Birthing the Microsoft Africa Development Centers software engineering offices in Kenya and Nigeria.

Check out what’s new on our YouTube channel. Subscribe to follow for the latest videos and news in the ecosystem.

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Microsoft is hiring software engineers from African universities to USA and Canada

Microsoft is hiring software engineers from African universities to USA and Canada

As part of plans to showcase the talent pool in Africa, Microsoft through its University Recruiting program and Africans at Microsoft is hiring final-year students and recent university graduates from across Africa into full-time engineering roles at Microsoft. The Microsoft African University Recruitment Program for recent graduate engineers will provide successful candidates with relocation to the USA and Canada.

Interested persons who will like to apply should have recently graduated from the university or will be graduating by 2023. Here are the qualifications you will need to meet.

  • Open to relocating to USA or Canada
  • Pursuing or recently completed a bachelor’s or master’s degree in engineering, computer science, or related field.  
  • One year of programming experience in an object-oriented language (C, C#, C++, Java, Python).  
  • Ability to demonstrate an understanding of computer science fundamentals, including data structures and algorithms. 

Activities that will give you an edge include experience building software outside of the classroom environment like an internship, hackathon, or research project. As well as showing the ability to work in a team and effective time management.

USA and Canada Microsoft

Microsoft started the program in 2017 dubbed Africa to Redmond; Hack for Africa. For its first iteration, Microsoft University Recruiting and Africans at Microsoft selected five universities on the continent to recruit from. University of Nairobi (Kenya), University of Lagos (Nigeria), Ashesi University (Ghana), Makerere University (Uganda), and University of Cape Town (South Africa).

The Microsoft Team is organizing free virtual resume workshops to help interested persons prepare for the application process. Where they will provide information on Microsoft’s recruitment program, share tips on how to make your application stand out, and answer your questions. The free resume workshop will take place at different times depending on your country. Here are a few below:

Ghana – from 6 – 7:30 pm GMT on Saturday 20th August 2022. The link to join the session will be provided after you register, link: http://aka.ms/ghtomicrosoft.

Nigeria – from 7 pm WAT on Thursday 18th August 2022 via https://twitter.com/i/spaces/1OdKrBDoOAeKX.

Kenya – from 6 – 7 pm EAT on 24th August 2022 via https://www.meetup.com/ms-ambassadors-ke/events/287900428/

During the workshop, Microsoft recruiters will share more on the recruitment process. But it usually takes place in three phases and will look something like this. It starts with an online coding challenge. A panel will then review the entries and select applicants for the next stage. The selected candidates will have an in-person or virtual interview. Finally, a successful candidate from the three steps will join Microsoft for a full-time position. The candidate will be assigned to an engineering team once they accept the offer.

Don’t forget to kindly share this opportunity with your friends or anyone this might help so they don’t miss out.

Check out what’s new on our YouTube channel. Subscribe to follow for the latest videos and news in the ecosystem.

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Microsoft to mark Black History Month with series of initiatives across Xbox and Windows

Microsoft to mark Black History Month with series of initiatives across Xbox and Windows

Black History Month xbox microsoft windows

Microsoft will celebrate Black History Month with collections of games, movies, tv shows and community events across Xbox and Windows. The company will be offering gaming experiences that highlight the contributions of Black and African American developers and creators.

Through the curation of collections of games, movies and tv shows by Black communities at Microsoft in the Windows and Xbox digital stores. Titles include, ‘Afterparty, Watch Dogs 2, Apex Legends, The Sims 4, Black Panther, Insecure, Hidden Figures and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’.

There will be a month-long Xbox Community Game Club and programming live streaming events focused on Black and African American titles, games, characters, creators, developers, and voice actors.

Microsoft will also raise awareness of causes that matter to Black communities and allow Xbox gamers to earn and donate Microsoft Rewards to organizations supporting Black communities.

These initiatives aren’t just a celebration of inclusion in gaming says Garron Ballard, Global Games Category Manager for Xbox and Windows Digital Stores. They’re also a chance to challenge assumptions around what a gamer or game developer looks like, he adds.

“I grew up playing video games, I’ve always been really interested in science fiction and fantasy. Growing up in an African American family and going to school in spaces where I was really in the minority … I always felt very abnormal,”
“There are a lot of people who have preconceived notions of what a Black person is or what a Black person should like.”

Garron Ballard

Minecraft Education Edition is also offering four lessons as a free demo from now till 28th February to anyone to mark the celebrations. The four lessons cover social justice, identity, and civil rights. They are ‘Good Trouble: Black lives matter, Good Trouble US Civil Rights, The “I”in Identity and Who is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’.

Microsoft notes these initiatives are not limited to Black History Month. It says it is part of the inclusion work happening at Microsoft to make gaming for everyone.

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Check out other stories making the news across Africa and Middle East region.

Blacks at Microsoft celebrate 30th Anniversary of diversity and inclusion

Blacks at Microsoft celebrate 30th Anniversary of diversity and inclusion

Blacks at Microsoft celebrate 30th Anniversary

The Blacks at Microsoft Employee Resource Group celebrated 30 years of diversity and inclusion as part of Black History Month.

Microsoft says “we strive to create an environment that brings the power of diversity to life. Where people with different backgrounds and experiences thrive in both their professional and personal lives. Where we’re all able to channel our passions.

Blacks at Microsoft (BAM) is a Microsoft Employee Resource Group with a mission to achieve a strong representation of Blacks at all levels of the company. Founded in 1989 as the first Microsoft-sponsored employee resource group. It is dedicated to supporting the continued growth and development of black employees and encouraging students to pursue a career in technology. It is also a community that provides its members an opportunity to learn, listen, grow, and network.

Blacks at Microsoft
Blacks at Microsoft fireside chat. ?: Chris Capossela

The Blacks at Microsoft (BAM) Employee Resource Group celebrated 30 years of empowerment. Hosting an Anniversary Gala, conferences, and speaker series across other Microsoft chapters.

The conference tracks conversations covering professional and personal development, social change and justice, and systematic education.

Speaking at this year’s Microsoft 2019 Black at Microsoft conference was Microsoft Chief Marketing Officer, Chris Capossela. Here is what he says about the community.

Creating an inclusive community is a journey – one that I’m on as an individual, we’re on as a company, and so many of us are working towards as an industry. I’ve learned that it’s so important to understand someone else’s background and daily struggles to overcome our differences“.

– Chris Capossela, Chief Marketing Officer, Microsoft
Blacks at Microsoft at Nasdaq New York
BAM, NY chapter at Nasdaq

Throwback

In celebrating 30 years of the group, Microsoft’s channel 9 caught up with some of the founding members. Take a look.

At Microsoft, we have made the long-term commitment to build and sustain a culture that fosters an inclusive working environment. Which will enable our employees to do their best work and serve the diverse needs of our customers around the world. We also are committed to engaging in and advancing diversity and inclusion conversations in communities where we believe we can help empower people”. – Toni Townes-Whitley – President, US Regulated Industries at Microsoft.

One of BAM’s goals is to encourage black students to pursue a career in technology. Every year the community offers a Black at Microsoft scholarship. This year BAM will award two US$5,000 scholarships to outstanding high school seniors. Who are interested in pursuing careers in technology. Learn more about the scholarship here.

Some initiatives of the BAM community in Africa include the NexTech Africa conference and Africa to Redmond Hack for Africa program.

Check out what’s new on our YouTube channel. Subscribe to follow for the latest videos and news in the ecosystem.

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