Five Microsoft fundamentals and eight role-based certifications discounted at $15

Five Microsoft fundamentals and eight role-based certifications discounted at $15

Microsoft certifications exam

From now till the end of the year, you can schedule select Microsoft certifications at a discounted price of fifteen Dollars. These include five fundamentals certifications and eight role-based certifications.

Anyone who schedules an exam under this initiative will have until March 31st 2021 to complete the examination. Unless the offer gets extended by Microsoft.

The discount offer is available to anyone who self-attest that their livelihood has been impacted by COVID-19 crisis.

Microsoft president Brad Smith notes the initiative aims to help job seekers demonstrate their skills to potential employers.

Here is a list of the qualifying Microsoft certifications under the discount offer. Click to visit the exam page.

To schedule for an exam, first, you will have to go to the exam page via the links above. You will see a new schedule for USD15 option under schedule exam.

Microsoft certifications exam

Clicking on this will bring up a confirmatory dialog box. Where you click on ‘i agree’ to declare you meet the eligibility requirements for the offer.

Microsoft certifications exam discount

The next step will be confirming details about your Microsoft Certifications profile and then you follow the necessary steps to complete the process.

[jetpack_subscription_form show_subscribers_total=”true” button_on_newline=”false” custom_font_size=”16″ custom_border_radius=”0″ custom_border_weight=”1″ custom_padding=”15″ custom_spacing=”10″ submit_button_classes=”” email_field_classes=”” show_only_email_and_button=”true”]

Check out other stories making the news from the region and beyond.

Microsoft partners with Social Change Factory to launch skills initiative in Senegal

Microsoft partners with Social Change Factory to launch skills initiative in Senegal

skills initiative in Senegal Yaccine Barro

Microsoft is collaborating with Social Change Factory to launch a digital skills initiative in Senegal.

Through the partnership, Social change is offering free access to learning content, recognized Microsoft certification and professional opportunities.

This is part of Microsoft’s Global Skills Initiative programme to help twenty-five million people worldwide acquire digital skills. By giving learners access to learning resources across Microsoft and its subsidiary companies, LinkedIn and GitHub.

The resources include free access to learning paths and content to help learners develop the skills these positions require. As well as low-cost certifications and free job-seeking tools to help learners pursue new jobs.

The initiative will help young job seekers acquire competencies and get certified, notes Yacine Barro, Microsoft West and Central Africa Country Manager during the launch event.

As an immediate response, this initiative consists of helping individual young job seekers to acquire competencies and get certified on them; ensuring they gain the right skills, knowledge, and opportunity to succeed in the post-pandemic world.
Microsoft and Social Change Factory will provide free access to learning content from LinkedIn Learning, GitHub and Microsoft Learn. Access to low-cost test that provides industry-recognized certifications. And free connections to LinkedIn Employability tools such as networking and job search tools, coaches and mentorships opportunities.

Yacine Barro

Yaccine also thanks Social Change Factory for helping drive the skills initiative in Senegal.

To learn more and participate in the Microsoft Global skills initiative click to visit the Social Change Factory website.

Pour formez-vous et obtenez une certification Microsoft Global Skills initiative cliquez ici.

[jetpack_subscription_form subscribe_placeholder=”Enter your email address” show_subscribers_total=”false” button_on_newline=”false” submit_button_text=”Sign Up” custom_font_size=”16px” custom_border_radius=”0″ custom_border_weight=”1″ custom_padding=”15″ custom_spacing=”10″ submit_button_classes=”” email_field_classes=”” show_only_email_and_button=”true”]

Check out other stories making the news in the region.

Microsoft Learn gets new homepage, introduces new features

Microsoft Learn gets new homepage, introduces new features

Microsoft Learn is getting a new homepage to make navigating and finding relevant content easy. The change also brings in new features such as collections and community trends. Microsoft is also moving Certifications to Microsoft Learn. This was announced at the ongoing Ignite conference in Orlando Florida.

Microsoft recently brought all of its learning platform together in one place, under Learn. Retiring the Microsoft Virtual Academy and Microsoft Professional Program. Shifting from a product-based learning to a role-based learning. To give learners a way to build technical skills and gain industry-recognized certifications. With Microsoft Learn anyone, no matter their level, from beginner to expert can skill up on Microsoft products. Getting a recognized technical certification when they sit an exams afterwards. The interactive learning platform is completely free to use.

A New Microsoft Learn homepage

New Microsoft Learn homepage will make it easier to navigate and find relevant content including what’s trending in the community. Microsoft continues to say “the revamped page includes links to trending and featured content, helping users start learning more quickly.” The company also notes that in the future users will see links to personalized content on the homepage by role, proficiency and product. Based on the information users provide in their profiles.”

A centralized hub for certifications

As part of the changes, Microsoft is moving information about Certifications to Microsoft learn. Microsoft notes it wants to make it easier for users to choose the best approach to certification. “When prepping for a certification exam, users can choose hands-on interactive training on Microsoft Learn or training with an instructor.” Learners now have a role-based learning approach to a technical role or requirement. When a learner selects a job role they will discover the certification paths available to that role.

Collections, new Exams and Certifications

Microsoft is introducing eight new certifications on cloud-focused job roles. As a result, there will now be over 20 Microsoft certifications for positions ranging from beginner to expert level.

Another feature to the free learning platform is collections. A way for users to create, manage and share custom collections of trainings. Collections will allowing a learner to develop personalized learning plans and track progress.

Microsoft Learn is replacing Microsoft Professional Program

Microsoft Learn is replacing Microsoft Professional Program

Microsoft is evolving its approach to helping people build technical skills and achieving technical certification. The company is retiring Microsoft Professional Program (MPP) and replacing it with Microsoft Learn platform.

Microsoft shares they are taking the best of the Microsoft Professional Program and adding the ability to earn a technical certification at the end of the coursework. The company realizes that people with certifications earn 15% more and are 20% more productive.

Three years ago, we launched the Microsoft Professional Program (MPP) with one mission: to help you build the technical skills you need to succeed in emerging jobs.
Since that time, the importance of technical skills and industry-recognized certifications has grown.
That’s why we’ve decided to evolve our approach into a program where you can work toward a technical certification
.

Early this year Microsoft announced it was retiring Microsoft Virtual Academy and replacing it with Microsoft Learn platform. A free, interactive learning platform of tutorials, interactive browser-based coding/scripting environments and task-based achievements.

As we retire MPP, Microsoft Learn becomes your destination for building the skills you need to be successful.”

MPP will officially end December 31st 2019. However you can still apply for a course or track till 15th September. You have the ability to complete pending courses by December 31st.

Microsoft retires Microsoft Virtual Academy, replaces it with Microsoft Learn

Microsoft retires Microsoft Virtual Academy, replaces it with Microsoft Learn

Microsoft virtual academy

As a technology company, Microsoft offers learning resources. For people who want to develop technical skills and confidence as well as build career opportunities. Most often allowing them to leverage and skill up in their tools and technologies. These platforms include Microsoft Virtual Academy (MVA), Cloud Society Platform, Microsoft courses on edX and Microsoft Learning.


Microsoft Learn – a one stop for self-paced, guided learning

Microsoft Learn was announced at Ignite last year in a bid to bring its learning platforms into one hub. A way to revise outdated knowledge and introduce modern and relevant skills for the next generation of creators. Like the Microsoft Virtual Academy, Microsoft Learn is free. It provides a tailored learning path through tutorials, a coding and interactive environment. As well as help you prepare towards certifications. Microsoft says “We built Microsoft Learn as a one-stop for self-paced, guided learning on all of our platform products and services”.

Starting 31st January Microsoft Virtual Academy will be retired in phases and its content removed by the end of 2019. Complete any course you currently are taking by the 31st of January to retain your transcript and certificate.

Here’s how the Microsoft Virtual Academy email reads;

“To simplify your tech training journey, we are consolidating our learning resources and retiring Microsoft Virtual Academy in phases, beginning on January 31, 2019. Complete site retirement is scheduled for later in 2019. Check your MVA Dashboard frequently for courses you have started that are retiring. To earn your certificates of completion, be sure to finish any courses by January 31, 2019.
Although Microsoft Virtual Academy content will no longer be available, we know that learning never stops. We recently announced Microsoft Learn which is a new site that provides a free, interactive learning environment that combines short step by step tutorials, interactive coding/scripting environments, and task-based achievements that help you advance your technical skills. Check it out!

I’ve noticed the cloud society and Microsoft courses on edX platforms have been integrated with Microsoft Learn. This brings all of Microsoft’s learning tools and resources under one documentation and platform for up to date information.

You can download your MVA completed course certificates from the dashboard, Check Microsoft Learn out and build new skills.

[jetpack_subscription_form subscribe_placeholder=”Email Address” show_subscribers_total=”true” button_on_newline=”true” submit_button_text=”Hi, was this helpful to you? kindly subscribe to get the latest news, events, offers, opportunities, etc. from the Microsoft and tech ecosystem in Africa and the Middle East region. ” custom_font_size=”16″ custom_border_radius=”0″ custom_border_weight=”1″ custom_padding=”15″ custom_spacing=”10″ submit_button_classes=”has-text-color has-background-color has-background has-primary-background-color” email_field_classes=”” show_only_email_and_button=”true”]