Tag: Microsoft

Microsoft announces renewable energy contracts that contribute almost 30% of Ireland’s corporate power purchase agreement target by 2030

The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar TD today joined Microsoft as it announced new renewable energy contracts, which will see the company contribute close to 30% of Ireland’s corporate power purchase agreement target by 2030.

Microsoft entered into multi-year Corporate Power Purchase Agreements (CPPAs) with Statkraft, Energia Group, and Power Capital Renewable Energy, related to the development of more than 900 megawatts of onshore wind and solar energy projects across Ireland.

The new power purchase agreements will help support efforts to add additional clean energy capacity to the electricity grid. The Government’s Climate Action Plan includes a target of 15% of electricity demand to be delivered from renewable energy CPPAs by 2030. This equates to approximately 6 terawatt hours of additional electricity generation.

Microsoft’s procurement will contribute 28% of that target before the end of the decade. The company is seeking to make a material contribution to accelerating the country’s journey to a net-zero future.

In line with the company’s global sustainability goal, Microsoft forecasts that it will cover 100% of its data centre electricity load by 2025 with renewable energy.

Commenting on the announcement, the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar TD, said: “Data is an enabler of our digital world facilitating everything from remote working and online learning to e-commerce, e-health and online banking. As we position Ireland as a global digital leader and achieve our climate change objectives, Government is determined to progress both the digitalisation of our economy and its decarbonisation. Today’s announcement by Microsoft is very welcome news and will help to ensure that the company’s data centres play a more positive role in bringing new green power to the electricity grid and driving Ireland’s renewable energy transition.” 

 

Noelle Walsh, Corporate Vice President, Cloud Operations and Innovation, Microsoft said: “At Microsoft, we’re committed to becoming carbon negative by 2030, working with Governments globally to accelerate the journey to a net-zero future. That’s why I’m delighted to announce today that Microsoft has signed 900MW of onshore wind and solar renewable energy power purchase agreements, which will enable Microsoft to achieve our 2025 sustainability goals and to contribute close to 30% of Ireland’s corporate power purchase target by 2030. With these agreements, we support new renewable energy infrastructure in Ireland. We’re proud to be partnering with leading energy providers to bring this additional renewable energy on stream and help industry and Government and the broader energy sector to achieve its climate action ambitions.

 “This announcement builds on our efforts to make our data centres more sustainable and foster new innovations to support the growth of renewables on the energy grid here in Ireland. As we continue to support the growing demand for Cloud across public and private sectors, Microsoft is committed to partnering with all stakeholders to help Ireland on its grid decarbonisation journey while unlocking the opportunities of a digital economy and society.” 

Kevin O’Donovan, Managing Director, Statkraft Ireland said: “As Europe’s largest renewable energy company, Statkraft is already a key player in the Irish market. Given our rapidly growing wind and solar portfolio, as well as our market trading business, we are well-placed to support companies like Microsoft in achieving their renewable energy ambitions.

“Today’s announcement shows that our continued rollout of new wind and solar projects is not just having a significant impact on Ireland’s renewable targets, but helping to deliver affordable, green energy to homes, communities – and businesses – amid a fossil fuel-driven energy crisis.”

Ian Thom, CEO, Energia Group said: “As an Irish energy company with a proven history of delivering new renewable energy projects and for providing innovative solutions for our customers, today’s announcement with Microsoft highlights the benefit of collaboration in bringing about collective benefit for society, enterprise, and the economy.  Energia Group has set clear targets to promote Ireland’s energy transition and to facilitate the achievement of the Government’s 2030 targets that will be realised through a pipeline of almost 3,000 MW of new renewable projects across a range of technologies, including offshore wind, onshore wind and solar.  This agreement represents another step towards the achievement of these targets.”

Commenting on the announcement Power Capital Renewable Energy Co CEO Peter Duff said, “As an indigenous Irish company we are delighted to be partnering with Microsoft on such a landmark agreement. Solar is now a proven force in Ireland and has become increasingly viable for businesses and homes. We see Solar PV having a significant positive impact on the targets in Ireland’s Climate Action Plan. We very much look forward to playing an increasing role in the further decarbonisation of the grid here in Ireland.”

Today’s announcement reinforces Microsoft’s commitment to advancing sustainability through collaboration and innovation. In July this year, the company outlined its plans to use its uninterruptable power supply (UPS) batteries within its data centres in Dublin for real-time interaction with Ireland’s power grid. On days when wind or solar power production is fluctuating, Microsoft’s backup batteries can be used to help maintain a steady flow of energy to power customers. That means fossil-fuel burning powerplants will be needed less often to maintain steady power, cutting emissions and fuel costs.

New UCC Sustainable Futures report, commissioned by Microsoft, reveals Irish businesses are largely underprepared for a net zero transition

A new sustainability report launched today at Microsoft Envision has revealed that Irish businesses are significantly underprepared when it comes to making the transformative changes required to transition to a net zero future.

The new UCC Sustainable Futures report entitled “The Sustainability Transformation: Assessing the Readiness of Irish Businesses” was commissioned by Microsoft Ireland to understand the level of business preparedness for a sustainable, net zero future and includes a national survey of 380 SMEs and larger enterprises across a range of sectors.

The report found that one in five (19%) businesses are yet to start their sustainability journey, while less than one in ten (9%) consider themselves to be well-advanced or truly sustainable. Concerningly, even for those who are in the early stages of their sustainability journey, three in five businesses are yet to formulate a dedicated sustainability strategy or policy. 20% of businesses surveyed said they had no set commitments or targets relating to any critical sustainability issues.

The research also points to a concerning lack of sustainability leadership and suitable skills among Irish businesses when it comes to driving sustainable transformation. Approximately seven in ten (69%) do not have someone tasked with developing and implementing a sustainability strategy. A similar proportion (69%) do not have someone tasked with identifying environmental sustainability priorities. When it comes to sustainability skills, approximately two-thirds of Irish businesses said they were either yet to develop the required skills or had basic competencies in this area.

There is strong evidence to suggest that Irish businesses underestimate the scale of ambition and action that are required to build a path to net zero emissions by 2050 with just 22% of Irish businesses having committed to a net zero target.

This is despite Government setting out to reduce emissions nationally by 51% by 2030 and to become carbon neutral by 2050. Moreover, larger Irish businesses will be required to publicly disclose information on how they engage with environmental, social, and governance issues as part of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive from 1st January 2024.

Whilst many businesses are yet to start addressing the sustainability crisis, it’s clear that Irish businesses see digital technologies as an enabler of their journey to a net zero future. Four in five (81%) businesses stated that digital technology was “important”, “fairly important” or “very important” to their organisation’s sustainability transition. However, almost two thirds (64%) of Irish businesses said they had not adopted digital technologies to support their sustainability efforts or were in the early stages of adopting technology for this purpose. Only a very small proportion (6%) of businesses are either “well advanced and ahead of most others” or “an exemplar of best practice” in this area.

Commenting on the research results, Anne Sheehan, General Manager, Microsoft Ireland, said: “The ever-growing need to protect the planet is forcing companies of all sizes to transform how they operate, with “business as usual” no longer a sustainable way forward. Whilst organisations globally are putting sustainability at the heart of their business, Microsoft included, many are yet to commence their sustainability journeys and that’s why we commissioned UCC Sustainable Futures to assess the readiness of Irish businesses for this transformation.

“It’s clear from UCC’s report that Irish businesses underestimate the scale of ambition and action that is required to transition to a net zero future. The lack of progress is concerning given Government’s overarching climate action commitments for 2030 and beyond. In order for national targets to be met, every organisation must play its part and take action by making sustainability a business imperative and a leadership priority.

“Simplifying sustainability measurement and reporting is one area that will help SMEs who may not have the in-house expertise or skills. Developing a workforce with the sustainability skills Ireland needs will also require a concerted and coordinated effort from businesses, industry organisations, the education sector and Government. At Microsoft, we are committed to playing our part in this regard.

“Irish businesses of all sizes see digital technology as a critical enabler of their sustainable transitions, however, most are yet to leverage it for this purpose. From using data intelligence to monitor carbon emissions to harnessing AI to reduce energy consumption, technology can empower businesses on their journey whilst also opening up new business opportunities.

“It’s clear that now really is the time for Irish businesses to move faster and go further in order to achieve a net zero future for all.”

Dr. Marguerite Nyhan, Associate Professor in Future Sustainability & Environmental Engineering, University College Cork said: “Climate change is one of our world’s most pressing challenges, and this decade will be extremely important in terms of setting us on a path to a sustainable and net zero future. This week at COP27, global leaders are gathering to build significant momentum for climate action. It is absolutely certain that businesses will play an extremely important role in the sustainability transformation and their actions will be vitally important in our global and national efforts to rapidly reduce emissions and mitigate climate change.

“Our research shows that although some businesses are embracing the sustainability transition, the majority are not and need to step up their sustainability and decarbonisation efforts immediately.

“That begins by defining a sustainability strategy with firm net zero commitments and targets that are measured and monitored. Organisations urgently need to be aware of the new sustainability reporting obligations and address the challenges associated with sustainability reporting. That will require enhanced sustainability expertise and skills at every level within business including at leadership level.

“To drive meaningful change, leaders must look to understand the economic case for sustainability within their organisations and the competitive advantages it can gain in the years ahead. As digital technologies offer potential to drive systems change and manage, monitor and track progress, businesses should maximise the opportunities of the digital revolution to achieve their sustainability and net zero ambitions. By taking the lead and harnessing the opportunities of the sustainability transition which is underway, Irish businesses can play a positive role in addressing this pressing challenge of our time.”

The results of the report were unveiled to business and IT leaders at Microsoft Envision today. The event, which took place in Dublin’s Convention Centre, showcased how businesses can harness the power of technology to achieve more with less and incorporate sustainability into every business process and function, igniting infinite possibilities for the future.

To support Irish businesses to start their sustainability journey, Microsoft has made a number of resources available on the Microsoft Sustainability Learning Center. There are also a number of tools that are available to help organisations to accelerate their sustainability journey wherever they are on their path to net zero, enabling them to amplify progress and transform their business through environmental, social, and governance (ESG) capabilities, available on the Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability. 

Microsoft Ireland employees raise over €270,000 for LauraLynn

Microsoft Ireland employees successfully completed a month-long fundraiser in aid of LauraLynn, Ireland’s Children’s Hospice, which saw the team raise over €270,000 – breaking the €150,000 fundraising target set for this year’s initiative. This brings the total amount raised through Microsoft’s annual cycle for LauraLynn since it began in 2014 to an incredible €840,000.

This year’s charity fundraiser – ‘The Microsoft Way’ – saw Microsoft Ireland employees take part in a number of activities, including walking, running, swimming, and a cycle along the Wild Atlantic Way.  As part of this cycle, a group of 100 cyclists and support crew travelled 350km along the Wild Atlantic Way from Ballybunion, Co Kerry, to Clifden, Co Galway, over three consecutive days.

All funds raised go directly to LauraLynn to provide palliative care and supports for children with life-limiting conditions and their families. These include therapies such as music therapy, play therapy and counselling, as well as vital short stays at the hospice for families in need of respite or crisis care.

Announcing the news today, James O’Connor, Microsoft Ireland Site Leader and Vice President of Microsoft International Operations, said: “Our team at Microsoft Ireland continue to be inspired by the work undertaken by LauraLynn as it provides vital care and support to children and their families across Ireland. That’s why our employees once again organised a month-long fundraising challenge this autumn to raise much needed funds.  Over 100 cyclists and support crew cycled 350km from Ballybunion to Clifden, while others played their part by walking, running and swimming.

“Since 2014, we have enjoyed a close relationship with the charity and raised over €840,000 in vital funds to empower LauraLynn to provide palliative care and supports to children with life-limiting conditions. We are very proud of all our employees for achieving such an incredible fundraising milestone.”

Kerry McLaverty, CEO of LauraLynn Children’s Hospice, said: “We are humbled by the continued support shown to LauraLynn by one of our closest neighbours, Microsoft Ireland. This is the nineth consecutive year that Microsoft employees have come out in force to fundraise for LauraLynn, and we are so thankful for their support. The generosity and commitment shown by the Microsoft Ireland team, year in and year out, has made a huge difference for children with life-limiting conditions and this year’s funds will ensure the continued delivery of vital hospice services to children and families across the country.” 

Microsoft Announce Collaboration with Irish Pharmaceutical Blockchain Disruptors ServBlock

ServBlock, a Blockchain and pharmaceutical compliance company is collaborating with Microsoft’s Early Access Engineering programme to produce a novel business case for the use of NFT technology in meeting compliance standards.

Servblock translates the current human to human based quality assurance process to a digital first trust system underpinned by machine to machine interactions and blockchain technology, providing verified data that is automatically checked for compliance.

Pharmaceutical compliance entails a multitude of processes requiring manual checking of data and tasks which require detailed attention, passing numerous levels of scrutiny often multiple times. ServBlock automates this process in a much more secure, timely and cost-efficient manner than the current status-quo with the use of blockchain technology.

The use of blockchain helps create validated digital traceability systems for pharmaceutical parts by recording data in real-time throughout a supply chain. With blockchain solutions, pharmaceutical-based transactions and processes can become secure, cheaper, and quicker than usual. For new biotech facility start up projects ServBlock can save 14,400 commissioning hours resulting in an average saving of 1.5 million euros per project.

As well as cost reduction ServBlock’s technology:

  • Eliminates fraud in the pharmaceutical supply chain

  • Eliminates the risk of counterfeit or contaminated drugs entering the market

  • Greatly reduces human error in the supply chain.

Blockchain is most commonly known for its uses in the financial industry and being particularly rooted in cryptocurrency over the last decade, but its fundamental data integrity properties means it is particularly suited to regulated industries, such as pharmaceutical production and distribution.

In collaboration with Microsoft, ServBlock has developed a novel use of non-fungible token (NFT) technology. NFTs are unique cryptographic tokens that exist on a blockchain and cannot be replicated, normally bought and sold. This model presents the perfect framework to ensure transparency for all stakeholders from beginning to end.

John Ward, CEO and founder of ServBlock, said: ‘Implementing new technologies to aid in the continued improvement of compliance standards is a core pillar of what ServBlock does. To have Microsoft on board gives further validation to the work we have been doing since founding the company and blockchain as a powerful business tool. NFTs have gained recognition and popularity for their use in selling art and a new internet culture, but we are glad to be starting the adoption of real world use within an enterprise setting.’

Quality assurance data is tokenized and in this way shows an end-to-end business use case for NFT use in the pharmaceutical industry. Every business process is signed by business participants, stored then shared through a ledger which itself shows ownership of assets from their creation. Every business process is shared among business participants ensuring traceability at every stop.

Small, Medium & Corporate Lead for Microsoft Ireland, Peter Lougheed said: “NFTs are one of the most exciting concepts to emerge from blockchain technology, and have grown to be hugely significant. It’s great to see a Microsoft Founders Hub member, like ServBlock, continue to scale and expand. We, at Microsoft, are excited to collaborate with ServBlock in developing their technology to better enable the pharmaceutical industry to meet their, often very complex, compliance standards.”

This collaboration presents the first use case of NFTs within a pharmaceutical manufacturing setting and therefore uncovers great potential for the use of blockchain technology in a variety of areas which rely heavily on secure, transparent ownership of assets.

Jabra and Lenovo Expand Collaboration to Deliver First Full Microsoft Teams Rooms System

Jabra and Lenovo are expanding their collaboration to offer a seamless, easy to use meeting room system optimised for use with Microsoft Teams Rooms – the Jabra PanaCast 50 Room System. The purpose-built, modular room kit provides companies looking to upgrade their meeting room technology for the hybrid working world with enhanced business productivity and collaboration capabilities. The plug-and-play full room system is a first from Jabra and is certified for and preloaded with Teams Rooms software. 

The system features the Jabra PanaCast 50 and Lenovo ThinkSmart Core Kit. The PanaCast 50 offers innovative 180-degree Panoramic-4K video and works seamlessly with Microsoft Teams Rooms’ front row layout to make hybrid meetings more inclusive and engaging. Lenovo’s ThinkSmart Core Kit includes the ThinkSmart Core and the ThinkSmart Controller, a 10.1inch, 10-point touch HD display that allows users to initiate and control meetings, as well as share content and work with colleagues working remotely. 

 “The typical meeting is not what it used to be, and it’s time for meeting room technology to catch up,” said Aurangzeb Khan, SVP of Intelligent Vision Systems at Jabra. “We’re delighted to unite the PanaCast 50’s unique capabilities with Lenovo’s innovative solutions to equip offices with solutions to foster inclusive and interactive meetings for everyone, regardless of where they are. The system works at the touch of a button and can connect employees seamlessly whether they’re in-person or connecting from home.”  

 “The shift to hybrid work has undoubtedly led to more demand for video enabled conference rooms, which is why we’re working with companies like Jabra and Lenovo to develop purpose-built Microsoft Teams Rooms,” said Albert Kooiman, Senior Director of Microsoft Teams Devices Partner Engineering and Certification. “Bringing together Jabra and Lenovo’s hardware with Microsoft Teams software allows users to experience key Teams features such as front row and Intelligent Camera, both for those in the meeting room and remote.” 

The new product bundle provides everything needed to set up a Teams Room. The Jabra PanaCast 50’s 180-degree view allows for every attendee to be seen, no matter where they’re sitting. This is further amplified by Dynamic Composition, an intelligent camera technology Jabra co-developed with Microsoft and released earlier this year. It helps to bridge the gap between in-person and remote meeting participants by providing a close-up view of in-room participants when they speak.  

 

 

Lenovo’s ThinkSmart Core is powered by an 11th Gen Intel® Core™ vPro® processor and delivers connectivity to support any meeting room configuration. Its understated yet stylish design means it can be placed discreetly, and it has ports to support multiple audio and visual accessories, along with integrated cable management. The ThinkSmart Controller’s easy-to-use Teams Rooms interface makes it ideal for meetings and collaboration.  It has Integrated Infrared sensors that detect when participants enter the room and automatically turns the system on and off. 

 “We’re excited to collaborate with Jabra to provide businesses with a way to bring their conference rooms into the hybrid work era,” said Shannon MacKay, General Manager of Worldwide Smart Collaboration Business, Lenovo. “Combining the power of our ThinkSmart Core solution with the Jabra PanaCast 50’s intelligent video system and Microsoft Teams Rooms technology will allow us to empower users to have more productive and inclusive meetings no matter where attendees are located.” 

Building on the initial offering made available in EMEA last year, this joint-offering will be the latest full Teams Rooms system from Jabra. It will be available to order from September 15th 2022.  

More information on the JabraPanacast 50

Google, Microsoft, Apple, and Intel rank highly with students across Business/Economics, Engineering & IT disciplines

Leading multinational companies located in Ireland are the employers of choice for third-level students across the country, according to research published today by leading employer branding specialists, Universum, part of IrishJobs.

The Most Attractive Employers Index Ireland 2022, which was conducted among 8,000+ students in Ireland across Business/Economics, IT, Engineering, Natural Sciences, Humanities, Law, and Medicine, reveals that top multinationals in the technology and pharmaceutical sectors remain the most desired employers for Gen Z and Millennial students.

Tech Giants
Improving slightly on their rankings from last year, multinational tech giants Google, Microsoft and Apple all feature within the top five employers for Business/Economics, IT and Engineering students.

IT students rank them in 1st, 2nd and 3rd place respectively, followed by Amazon and Intel in 4th and 5th place. Meanwhile, Intel has moved into 1st place as the top preference amongst Engineering students with Google ranked 2nd and Microsoft coming 3rd.

The main attributes that students associate with the top-performing tech multinationals is market success, a willingness to embrace new technologies and innovation.

Top 10 employers among IT students

Employer Rank 2022 Rank 2021
Google 1 1
Microsoft 2 2
Apple 3 3
Amazon 4 4
Intel 5 5
Facebook 6 6
IBM 7 8
Samsung 8 9
Dell Technologies 9 7
PayPal 10 13

 

Top 10 employers among Business/Economics students

Employer Rank 2022 Rank 2021
Google 1 1
Apple 2 2
KPMG 3 3
Microsoft 4 6
Deloitte 5 4
J.P. Morgan 6 10
Amazon 7 7
Facebook 8 9
PwC 9 5
Ernst & Young 10 8

 

Top 10 employers among Engineering students

Employer Rank 2022 Rank 2021
Intel 1 4
Google 2 1
Microsoft 3 7
Apple 4 6
Pfizer 5 2
Boston Scientific 6 3
Jacobs Engineering 7 5
Johnson & Johnson 8 8
Aer Lingus 9 11
Stryker 10 10

 

Airline resurgence
Bouncing back from last year’s rankings, Irish airlines Aer Lingus and Ryanair have enjoyed a resurgence in 2022 following the lifting of travel restrictions and a return to full flying capacity earlier this year. This is particularly apparent among Business/ Economics students, with Aer Lingus climbing to 12th position (up seven places) and Ryanair moving up the rankings by 11 places to come in at number 20.

For Engineering students, Aer Lingus has moved up two places to 9th place while Ryanair has moved up six places and now sits in 15th position.

Pharmaceutical giants
Although some have dropped slightly on the positions they held last year, many of the pharmaceutical and healthcare companies that enjoyed a surge in 2021 due to their high-profile engagement with the Covid-19 vaccine development effort, continue to perform strongly in the Index. Multinational pharmaceutical giant Pfizer continues to rank in first position among Natural Sciences students, while taking 5th place among Engineering students and moving up 14 places to 15th position among IT students.

Meanwhile, Johnson & Johnson and Boston Scientific feature in 2nd and 3rd place respectively for students in the Natural Sciences sector, maintaining the rankings they held in last year’s Index, while the HSE has moved up one place to take 4th spot for students in this sector, followed by consumer goods employer Glanbia.

Top 10 employers among Natural Sciences students

Employer Rank 2022 Rank 2021
Pfizer 1 1
Johnson & Johnson 2 2
Boston Scientific 3 3
HSE 4 5
Glanbia 5 4
Google 6 8
Kerry Group 7 6
MSD 8 10
Dairygold 9 12
Regeneron 10 7

New entries & greatest employer gains
New entries to the Index in 2022 include homegrown Irish companies An Post and Irish Rail, which rank among all the student disciplines, as well as top international group, AXA Insurance. Meanwhile, the greatest gains in 2022 versus 2021 were for brewery manufacturer Heineken and ESB, both of which went up by 40 places among IT students.

Commenting on the research, Steve Ward, UK and Ireland Business Director, Universum said: “As the world of work continues to evolve and the competition to attract talent remains high, The Most Attractive Employers Index offers an important snapshot of the type of companies and attributes that current students and graduates are searching for in their future employer.

“With renowned tech and pharmaceutical multinationals leading the way in this year’s Index, it’s clear that third-level students are keen to play their part in helping to shape the growing digital and scientific transformation that is underway across our economy and society, not only in Ireland, but across the globe.

“Both science and technology played a vital role during the COVID-19 pandemic, enabling people to work from home, businesses to continue functioning and healthcare to take place virtually, while also resulting in the development of a number of vaccines to help protect people during what was an extremely unsettling and uncertain period.

“The success of tech leaders such as Google, Microsoft, Apple and Intel in the market, and their ability to embrace new technologies and drive innovation during this period, have emerged as key drivers for students in choosing these companies, something which should help to give an indication of the type of attributes graduates today are searching for in their future employer.

“It’s also encouraging to see Irish companies continue to rank well among students in this year’s Index, with the emergence from the pandemic having a particularly positive impact on the Irish airline sector. It is also good to see longstanding homegrown companies An Post and Irish Rail enter the rankings for the first time.

“Through the Index today we want to help employers who are looking to attract up-and-coming talent with an insight into student preferences so they can take this on board when planning their talent acquisition strategies. Every company, no matter what sector it operates in, can illustrate an ability and willingness to embrace new technologies and innovate to drive their company forward. The findings today show us that by demonstrating the role a company is playing in helping to shape and drive the Fourth Industrial Revolution that is now underway, employers will be better positioned to attract and retain talent into the future.”

Microsoft Ireland & FIT mark One Year Anniversary of Digital Skills Training Programme, #StepIn2Tech

Microsoft Ireland today announced that more than 6,000 people have taken their first StepIn2Tech by signing up to participate in the digital skills training programme that was launched in collaboration with Fastrack to IT (FIT) just over one year ago.

StepIn2Tech was initially developed by Microsoft Ireland in response to the Covid-19 pandemic in an effort to equip 10,000 learners over a two-year period with the digital skills required to gain in-demand jobs in the digital economy. The initiative also supports those who have either recently left school or college or are mid-career and interested in developing their digital skills.

Through StepIn2Tech, learners can participate in up to five starter courses focused on productivity, coding, infrastructure, cloud, and design, helping to deepen their knowledge and skills levels in these areas. Each StepIn2Tech course is free to access and can be completed online at the learner’s own pace and with the guidance and support of FIT’s team of digi-chaperones.

On completion of one or more of the StepIn2Tech starter courses, graduates are invited to participate in the StepIn2Tech mentoring programme, which Microsoft Ireland employees are delivering, in order to develop the soft skills that are required to maximise new employment opportunities. As part of the programme, Microsoft Ireland employees provide one-to-one advice and guidance on interview techniques and CV writing. Over 400 learners have completed the mentoring programme so far with 84 Microsoft employees volunteering almost 3,000 hours between them to date.

Free training places remain available through StepIn2Tech as the initiative embarks on its second year.

James O’Connor, Microsoft Ireland Site Lead and Vice President of Microsoft International Operations, said: “It’s hugely encouraging to see that over 6,000 people have engaged with StepIn2Tech, one of a number of education and training initiatives that Microsoft Ireland has developed to empower learners – irrespective of their age, background or experience – to participate fully in Ireland’s digital economy.

“With the World Economic Forum predicting that 90% of all jobs will require digital skills by 2030, it’s crucial that dedicated pathways are made available for people to acquire the training and skills needed to access the increasingly technology-based job opportunities of today and tomorrow. It’s inspiring to hear about the experiences of StepIn2Tech graduates, such as Ilona, and to see how their lives and career paths have been enhanced through this programme. By empowering people to acquire digital skills, StepIn2Tech is aiding the transition to a digital-first economy, which must be inclusive for all.”

 

Speaking about her experience of StepIn2Tech, Ilona Tkachenko, said: “Quite soon after the pandemic hit, I was made redundant from my job and found myself at home with my family minding my two kids. As we navigated our way through that strange time, I came across this advertisement for total IT beginners to start a cyber security course. That turned out to be StepIn2Tech. The course worked brilliantly for me as I was able to do it at my own pace and, with the support of the FIT digi-chaperones. I really surprised myself with everything that I learned, and how much I wanted to keep learning and keep discovering. At the end of the course, I graduated with certificates in security fundamentals and CompTIA Security. I also engaged in the Microsoft mentoring sessions, which have been invaluable in helping me to prepare for job opportunities. I’m currently interviewing for a number of security operations analyst positions and am hoping to secure a job very soon. StepIn2Tech has opened up a whole world of opportunities for me and I’d encourage anyone who is out of work or looking to change career to take that first step.”

Peter Davitt, CEO, Fastrack to IT, said: “We’re delighted that more than 6,000 people have signed up to, quite literally, take their first step into technology since the launch of StepIn2Tech one year ago.

“With learners coming from a diverse range of backgrounds and sectors that had been negatively impacted by the pandemic, such as hospitality and retail, StepIn2Tech has proven that it can help people to develop their digital skills and avail of either new career opportunities in the digital economy or take further steps on their learning pathway. We’re very grateful to Microsoft Ireland for collaborating with us on the development of this programme and look forward to supporting many more learners through the StepIn2Tech course and mentoring programme over the coming year.”

For more information on #StepIn2Tech or to register to participate in the programme, visit: https://fit.ie/stepin2tech/.

Microsoft launches their new Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2

Microsoft have today launched the next evolution of Surface Laptop with the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 available now on pre-order. The device offers a modern design with a vibrant 12.4” PixelSense™ touchscreen, comfortable keyboard and large, precision trackpad to help with navigating, scrolling, and selecting with ease.

Equipped with Windows 11 and the Quad-core 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i5 processor, Surface Laptop Go 2 provides all-day battery life and the device weighs only 2.48 pounds. Additionally, the device offers a clear video and rich sound for music, movies and shows, connection over video calls with an improved HD camera, and connection to other devices and accessories via a range of ports.

Pete Kyriacou, CVP, Microsoft Devices said: “We’re delighted to announce Surface Laptop Go 2. This product has been meticulously crafted to deliver our Surface signature premium design and features in an ultra-portable format.

While fashioning a beautiful product we are also committed to sustainability. In addition to SSD, replaceable components now include the C-Cover (Keyset and Trackpad), AB Cover (Display) and battery  and Surflink cable helping to extend the use of your device.

Beneath the sleek exterior, Surface Laptop Go 2 is the first Intel-based secured-core PC from Surface. With innovation from chip to cloud, customers at home or work can enjoy new levels of security. Whether deploying for a large-scale enterprise or your home business, Surface Laptop Go 2 offers a lightweight, manageable and functional device for any employee.”

See more HERE

Final call from Microsoft & Belfast Metropolitan to participate in Microsoft Assured Skills Academy

Microsoft and Belfast Metropolitan College have once again joined forces to launch the fourth Microsoft Assured Skills Academy this time focused on preparing participants for the role of a Modern Work Support Engineer.

The 12-week intensive Microsoft 365 Cloud Academy, will be delivered by Belfast Metropolitan College in partnership with the Microsoft Assured Skills Academy and made possible through funding provided by the Department for the Economy.

If selected for the Academy, participants will receive practical, real-world training in programmes and functionalities ranging from Cloud Concepts and Networking Fundamentals through to Cyber Security, Microsoft 365 Security Administration, Cloud Computing and presentation skills.
The 12-week course is free to the participants with each candidate also receiving £155 per week training allowance while undertaking the course.

Upon successful completion of the training, candidates will obtain industry-recognised modern work qualifications while also getting the opportunity to interview for one of a number of roles being made available by Microsoft within the newly established Microsoft Customer Service & Support team located in Belfast. If successful at this stage candidates will have the opportunity to work from Belfast as part of Microsoft’s world-wide customer support operations working with customers to help them take advantage of new technologies to enable them to achieve more and accelerate their digital transformation journeys.

Commenting on the launch of this year’s Academy, Anne Sheehan, Microsoft Ireland General Manager said: “We’re thrilled to be launching the fourth Microsoft Assured Skills Academy in partnership with Belfast Metropolitan College and the Department for the Economy, offering graduates from all backgrounds the opportunity to take their first steps in preparing for the role of a Modern Work Support Engineer.

“At Microsoft, we believe in empowering people to achieve their full potential and, through the launch of this latest offering from the Microsoft Assured Skills Academy, we want to ensure that we’re providing opportunities for people to equip themselves with the skills they need to access exciting new job opportunities and prepare for the future of work. This course is particularly exciting as we seek to grow our Microsoft Customer Service and Support team located here in Belfast. It’s a great opportunity for anyone looking to pursue a career in a dynamic and fast-moving industry and we hope that through the course we’re able to find the right talent to support our continued growth of this team right here in Belfast.”

Susan McCambridge, Economic Development Manager, Belfast Metropolitan College commented: “We are delighted to be delivering our fourth Academy with Microsoft which will focus on preparing participants for the role of a Modern Work Support Engineer. Learners will gain the most up-to-date industry relevant training, giving them what we hope will be life-changing opportunities and the skills they need to participate in the growth of Northern Ireland’s digital economy. With the deadline for applications in the coming days we’d encourage anyone interested to register their interest before the deadline this Friday.”

Candidates can apply online at Microsoft 365 Cloud Academy by noon on Friday 27 May 2022. To secure a place on the programme candidates will be invited to participate in an interview which will be held between 20th and 22nd June and if successful in this phase will move forward to the training part which will take place from 15th August to 4th November.

Those applying must be aged 18 years and above and eligible to work full-time in the UK. Candidates do not need have any experience working within the technology industry but must have a university degree classification 2.2 in any discipline or a Level 5 qualification in an IT related subject.