14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft announced the largest adoption of the Microsoft IT Academy to date following the inking of an agreement designed to bring IT education resources to all high school students in North Carolina.
The Microsoft IT Academy will be launched and implemented into all public high schools statewide, making North Carolina the first state in the US to embrace the Redmond company’s technology education program at this level.
Wake County’s Leesville Road High School was one of the 37 high schools involved in the pilot program for Microsoft IT Academy, and the place where the state’s Superintendent of Public Instruction June Atkinson, State Board of Education Chairman Bill Harrison and Microsoft executives Siegfried Behrens, general manager for U.S. Education, and Lutz Ziob, general manager for Microsoft Learning announced the deal.
“The ability to effectively use Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access is an essential skill in most businesses and offices today. I am pleased that North Carolina can provide this opportunity for teachers to improve their skills and for students to be career-ready,” Atkinson explained.
According to statistics provided by the software giant, in excess of 9,000 people around the world are using the Microsoft IT Academy Program, which is currently available in over 100 countries.
Behrens opined that education technology is critical to preparing students for the challenges they will face as they move onward to college or in their future workplace.
“We are excited to partner with North Carolina as the first state in the nation to deploy the Microsoft IT Academy to every high school and to help equip students with the IT skills they need for the jobs of tomorrow,” Behrens said.
“Microsoft certifications are widely recognized by employers and can give students an edge in today’s competitive job market.”
Provided that students complete the Microsoft IT Academy coursework and pass the certification exams they will be able to earn the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) or Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) certifications.
“North Carolina’s focus is on preparing students to be career and college-ready so they can meet the challenges of higher education and of the workplace,” Harrison added.
“Today’s announcement is good news for students regardless of their future plans. This gives them the opportunity to graduate from high school with skills that are welcomed by employers and useful to them in higher education.”