Microsoft has launched a training programme targeting the Omani youth that focuses on developing cloud, data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) skills dubbed ‘Build the Skills of the Future’ in partnership with The Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology (MTCIT), Oman.
This initiative comes as part of the MoU signed between both organizations in May this year. It is also in line with The Digital Competency Qualification Initiative (Makeen) to empower Omani youth with advanced digital skills needed to succeed in the digital era as well as provide them with income-generating opportunities in the digital sector. The initiative aims to train ten thousand Omani youths in digital skills by 2025.
Through the ‘Build the Skills of the Future’ programme, Microsoft will equip students, academia, SMEs, startups and government employees with the necessary skills to succeed in the ever-evolving technology and innovation ecosystem. The training also aligns with the government’s digital transformation programme, set to run until 2025. This complements one of the National Digital Economy Programme initiatives – a key facilitator toward accomplishing Oman Vision 2040 for sustainability and economic diversification.
The ‘Build the Skills of the Future’ training programme kicked off on November 6th and will continue until December 7th 2022 at the Middle East College in Knowledge Oasis Muscat, Rusayl, offering five Microsoft Azure certification tracks.
Omani youths can choose from a range of skill levels and course topics that will enlighten them on the fundamentals of cloud, Data and AI, as well as designing and implementing a complete Data and AI solution.
Commenting on the launch of the initiative, Sheikh Saif Hilal Al Hosni, General Manager for Microsoft in Oman and Bahrain, said, “The significance of combining academic qualifications with digital capabilities and professional certifications has become imperative for current employees, entrepreneurs, and those aspiring to join the workforce.”
“We at Microsoft remain committed to encouraging lifelong learning, skilling and upskilling the workforce to fill professional gaps and ensure wholesome digital and economic transformation. With Microsoft’s unrivalled expertise, this training initiative with MTCIT will ensure government employees, students, as well as other professionals, are equipped with valued skills to accelerate the country’s digital transformation programme and ultimately drive the actualization of Oman Vision 2040”, he added.
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Cairo ICT 2021 is underway in Egypt and Microsoft is taking the opportunity to showcase its latest technological innovations in the areas of the Cloud, AI, Security and modern work. It is also showing off the latest Surface products, the Surface Pro 7+, Surface Laptop Go and Surface Go 2.
The international telecom, information, technology and media trade fair and forum event is taking place from 7-10 November. The event is co-locating with PAFIX 2021 at the Egypt International Exhibition Center, New Cairo.
We are delighted to be participating as Official Cloud Sponsor at the 25th edition of Cairo ICT, says Mirna Arif, Country Manager, Microsoft Egypt. We are looking forward to welcoming you at our booth to reimagine together a stronger future for Egypt. And to explore how organizations can harness the power of technology to thrive in an increasingly digital economy, she adds.
Microsoft will be participating and contributing to the conversation on the Digital Challenge during the event. Mirna will join other technology leaders to discuss “How ICT is changing the face of the world”. Other Microsoft discussions to look out for include:
8th – Cloud-Tech & DevOps – Mr. Chadi Haddad, Data & Ai Regional Director, Microsoft
9th – IoT & IIoT – Leading the way to Industry 5.0 – Ahmed Farag, Public Sector Industry Lead, Microsoft
You can find the Microsoft Egypt booth on the Cairo ICT 2021 event floor at Hall E stand 3E2. Where you can have a hands-on with their products and learn about their solutions.
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At Microsoft Ignite 2021, Informatica announced a joint Modern Cloud Analytics program with Microsoft on Azure. To provide customers with fast, low cost and low-risk paths to modernize PowerCenter ETL and on-premises data warehouses to Informatica’s Intelligent Data Management Cloud (IDMC) on Azure and Azure Synapse Analytics. This offering is available on the Azure Marketplace. Helping customers streamline procurement and enabling them to fulfil their financial commitments with Informatica solutions on Azure.
“Microsoft and Informatica share a cloud-first vision and are committed to helping our customers accelerate their cloud migration journey,” said Scott Guthrie, Executive Vice President, Cloud + AI, Microsoft. “With the alliance of Informatica’s rich data integration capabilities and Microsoft Azure’s unified analytics platform, customers have a faster path to the benefits of cloud analytics.”
The Modern Cloud Analytics program is available to joint Microsoft and Informatica PowerCenter customers migrating their on-premises data warehouse and ETL workloads to IDMC on Azure and Azure Synapse Analytics. It includes:
Informatica’s Migration Factory for Informatica PowerCenter customers that automates 90% plus of existing data integration mappings to IDMC on Azure and Azure Synapse Analytics.
No cost access to cloud data warehousing and cloud data management experts from both Microsoft and Informatica to guide customers with best practices and ensure successful migrations.
Financial incentives from Microsoft and Informatica for software and professional services that significantly reduce the cost of migration.
The ability to purchase IDMC through Azure Marketplace, enabling customers to apply their entire IDMC subscription to their Microsoft Azure Consumption Commitment agreement.
“We are thrilled to elevate our Microsoft integration with our new joint modern cloud analytics program and offer our customers a seamless, streamlined and financially compelling program to migrate and modernize mission-critical data workloads to the cloud with Microsoft,” said Amit Walia, CEO, Informatica. “As we continue to help our customers in their digital transformation, we’re focused on delivering a cloud data management platform that helps our customers reimagine their business in incredibly innovative ways.”
Sign up to receive additional information on the Modern Cloud Analytics Joint Program here.
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Oracle and Orange are announcing an agreement to accelerate cloud-led digital transformation in West Africa. The collaboration will see the companies build Oracle’s Cloud regions using Orange’s infrastructure in Senegal and Ivory Coast. This they say aligns with their common objective of ensuring that all customer data is hosted locally. Providing customers with cloud services that meet their data latency and performance requirements. This comes a few weeks after Oracle announced that it has chosen Johannesburg, South Africa as the site of its first African datacentre. The company is currently planning to launch 13 new cloud regions across Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific, and Latin America.
The companies will jointly offer cloud services for enterprises and public sector organizations in West Africa. Starting with offerings in Senegal and Ivory Coast. For this initiative, Orange plans to use Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) to complement its portfolio of enterprise-grade managed cloud services.
The planned joint go-to-market model is intended to support West African enterprises and public organizations in addressing the challenge of digital transformation. Through advanced cloud services, enabling operational efficiency, lower costs and high-security standards.
The two companies also plan to collaborate on a project to migrate part of Orange’s internal applications onto Oracle Cloud. In order to generate greater efficiencies through digitalization, particularly in administrative processes. Discussions are ongoing to define the scope, conditions and feasibility of this strategic step. Oracle and Orange also intend to jointly promote their health solutions, especially in the area of vaccination.
We strongly believe that digital technology is a catalyst for economic transformation on the African continent says Alioune Ndiaye, Chairman and CEO, Orange Middle-East and Africa. Contributing to sustainable employment and socio-economic development, he adds. “Cloud infrastructure is one of the key solutions Orange brings to companies and public institutions in its role as a multi-service operator. Oracle’s industry-recognized solutions should bring additional value to Orange’s Cloud portfolio.”
“With improved bandwidth access and increased awareness of the benefits of cloud computing, organizations in the West and Sub-Saharan Africa region have begun exploring migrating workloads to the cloud. This initiative with Orange is an important step toward introducing world-class cloud infrastructure in the region,” said Clay Magouyrk, executive vice president, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure.
“As organizations in West Africa start their digital transformations, we look forward to joining with Orange to offer a rich portfolio of cloud infrastructure services,” says Jonathan Tikochinsky, executive vice president, Global Strategic Clients Group at Oracle. “This partnership brings the power of Oracle’s OCI services and Orange’s extensive managed cloud services that will empower organizations to take advantage of the efficiency, cost savings and increased security that the cloud provides.”
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Azure, A-z-u-r-e, Az-ure, what is the pronunciation? People have pronounced this word in various forms and manners to my hearing, I included. But is there a right way to pronounce the name of Microsoft’s cloud computing platform?
We have heard Microsoft executives and employees pronounce this word during conferences and meetings and sometimes it varies as well depending on who and where. You’ll think that because this is a company product, the adoption of its name globally will be one and the same.
I remember at least two such meetings in Lagos and Nairobi where Azure was pronounced differently to what I knew and how I pronounced it. Technically I believe my way of pronunciation is right, just as they do lol. I also remember having arguments about what it should be with friends.
So is there a right way? I’m sorry to disappoint you yes there is. But according to Microsoft, it is exactly how you pronounce it. Phew! That’s a relief, right?
The Microsoft Azure team posted a video to mark 11 years of the service. It shows several people from across the globe pronouncing the name of the service differently. But some going with the way Microsoft executives such as Scott Guthrie and Satya Nadella pronounce it.
A Microsoft employee in the video says “The reason why we picked Azure is because then anyone can pronounce it anyway they want“.
However you say it, Microsoft Azure is proud to be your partner in the cloud. Celebrate 11 years of inventing with purpose and tell us how you say Azure. #HowISayAzurepic.twitter.com/VoVlBoSoYp
Azure is an English word that means “bright blue in color like a cloudless sky”. Symbolism to the adapted color and design of the Microsoft cloud service. Which seems to be all it adapted, not really taking the pronunciation of the original Azure word.
So feel free to pronounce it however you feel like or desire as you were never wrong in the first place. And don’t let anyone like me tell you you are doing so wrong, lol.
