Wayne State University and Microsoft Corp. today embarked on a partnership to improve employability in Detroit. The pilot program is designed to foster job-ready, employable talent for high-demand technical positions such as cloud computing, data analytics, cybersecurity, AI, engineering, and more.
Wayne State is part of a select group of universities around the globe involved in the pilot program. The goal is to create economic opportunities and a talent pipeline that will strengthen Detroit’s ongoing revitalization.
“At Microsoft, we want to empower everyone to achieve their career aspirations and make sure they can succeed in a technology-driven society,” says Karen Kocher, global general manager of 21st Century Jobs, Skills and Employability for Microsoft. “We aim to move people and technology forward together.”
The initiative seeks to address current and projected shortages of skilled technology workers. In addition, it will explore how technology education can keep up with the swift evolution of technology. The effort to enhance technical learning experiences for students is particularly important as the greater Detroit region strives to become a home for the transforming mobility industry and looks toward employing new technological solutions for addressing health disparities.
“We are a place of opportunity and upward mobility in the heart of Detroit, a city undergoing a significant transformation,” says M. Roy Wilson, president of Wayne State. “Partnering with Microsoft’s employability initiative will help move the city forward. We have enjoyed recent successes in student achievement, enhanced research funding and more, and this will ensure this momentum continues while building the digital economy workforce for Detroit and this entire region.”
The Microsoft partnership will provide Wayne State students with the Microsoft Professional Program curriculum to enhance students’ knowledge with up-to-date technical skills that will make them more valuable to potential employers.
“Our city is quickly becoming a major center for technology innovation and that shift is creating a whole new range of career opportunities that previously haven’t been within easy reach of many Detroiters,” says Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan.
“This new partnership between Wayne State University and Microsoft will be an important addition to our ongoing efforts to provide residents the education and training they need to take advantage of these tech sector opportunities. It also will make our city even more desirable to tech companies looking to locate in an area with a highly skilled workforce.”
