October, 2013

Power their Future
  • Latest from IT Academy

    North Carolina Hits 100,000 Microsoft Certifications Through IT Academy

    After launching the country’s first statewide Microsoft IT Academy program three years ago, North Carolina has hit another remarkable milestone: 100,000 Microsoft Certifications.

    State Superintendent of Public Schools June Atkinson celebrated the success with Microsoft, teachers and students this week at last week’s Microsoft YouthSpark Connections event at North Carolina State University in Raleigh.

    Atkinson credited IT Academy with both refining students’ technology skills and making North Carolina a leader in technology education. “Thanks to this partnership, our state is a national leader in providing students and teachers the opportunity to earn industry-recognized professional certifications, boost their résumés and become more competitive for jobs in today’s economy,” the superintendent said.

    High schools in 29 counties piloted the IT Academy program in fall 2010. The following spring, 72 counties started IT Academies, and by fall 2011 the program went statewide.

    Currently 51,000 students are enrolled in IT Academy courses—one in Microsoft Word and PowerPoint, and one in Excel and Access. These courses recently replaced Computer Applications I and II, among the state’s largest electives in Career and Technical Education. A new course in Microsoft SharePoint and Outlook is scheduled to launch in spring 2014.

    Many counties are cheering their own successes under the statewide program. Here are some student and teacher certification totals that have made the news waves.

    The map below shows number of certifications by school district (click to enlarge):

     

    Source: Public Schools of North Carolina

    More information:

    Pay Rising for Technology Occupations, Study Shows

    A new study by Robert Half Technology shows that technology salaries are increasing. While salaries are expected to rise an average of 3.7 percent in 2014 across accounting/finance, technology, legal, creative and administrative jobs, the positions with the highest increases will be engineering, software development, and programming. Pay increases for mobile app developers and software developers are expected to top 8 percent.

    Read more.

    Surface 2, Windows 8.1: Noted Benefits for Students and Educators

    Wondering how the Surface 2 stacks up against the older generation Surface, for education? Read this post from Higher Innovation detailing top three ways.

     The Microsoft UK Schools blog has also published an infographic on the benefits of Windows 8.1 for educators, such as support for BYOD initiatives. See the full infographic.

    Events & Happenings

    T Minus 1—Microsoft Insights Is Tomorrow, October 29th!

    Attend Microsoft Insights tomorrow, October 29th (9 A.M. Pacific Time) to zero in on your next career move and enter a sweepstakes to win a Microsoft Certification exam pack. A panel of industry experts will provide tips on emerging opportunities in technology fields and relevant training—useful for technology newcomers and veterans alike.

    Sign up and attend, and you’ll be automatically entered into a sweepstakes to win a Certification exam pack for your choice of MCSA: Windows Server 2012; MCSA: SQL Server 2012; MCSA: Windows 8; or any MCSD Certification. Check out the rules for more details.

    Education Offers from Microsoft

    Help Boost Student Success with Second Shot

    Available now through June 30, 2014, the Second Shot exam offer allows students to retake a Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) exam at no cost if they don’t pass the test the first time.

    Second Shot is a prepaid voucher, limited to all MCP (073 series) exams. Second Shot is attached to all single exams and Volume Licensing. Offer expires June 30, 2014 for single Second Shot exams; the standard 12-month expiration applies for Volume Licensing. Get more details.

    Student Advantage Offer: Office 365 ProPlus
    Starting December 1, 2013, Microsoft will be providing Office 365 ProPlus to students at no additional charge if all of their faculty and staff are already licensed for Office 2013 Professional Plus via an EES agreement or an Office 365 ProPlus subscription. More than 35,000 institutions worldwide will automatically qualify to deliver the Student Advantage benefit to their students. Learn more.

    Stay Informed & Join the Discussion

    Shine a Light on Your Success!

    By highlighting your IT Academy accomplishments on the IT Academy Blog, you can help lead the way for other IT Academy members and students around the world. Send a brief summary of your success and any accompanying images or videos—along with your contact information—to the IT Academy team. We look forward to hearing from you!

    Follow Us

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  • Did you know that 50% of today’s jobs require technology skills, and that percentage is expected to increase to 77% in the next decade? (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) Or that among 18- to 34-year-olds employed in 2012, less than half (46%) said they had the education and training necessary to get ahead in their job or career? (Pew Research Center, February 2012) These findings, along with a clear upward trend in technology hiring, show we’re experiencing what’s commonly known as a “technology skills gap.”

    Missed the October webinar?
    No worries—you can watch it on demand. If you’re registered, log in here. If you’re not yet registered, sign up now.

    If you missed our October 10th webinar“The skills gap in the technology workforce, and how educators can guide students toward a successful career”—you missed a fantastic overview of the situation and training that can help us collectively overcome it. By detailing the skills gap locally (in Washington State) and globally, and presenting entry level Microsoft Certifications for students, guest speakers Peggy Hayes and Maureen Majury essentially led us to a solution.

    The Solution Is Training

    Here are some more eye-opening technology hiring facts our guests shared:

    • 25 percent of IT opportunities worldwide went unfilled because of lack of training or experience in 2012. (IDC, Climate Change: Cloud's Impact on IT Organizations and Staffing, Nov 2012)
    • There will be an estimated 14 million new jobs worldwide by 2015 due to spending on public and private IT cloud services. (IDC MS White Paper, Cloud Computing's Role in Job Creation, March 2012)
    • Globally, 7 of the 10 largest economies say technology positions are among the hardest to fill. (Careerbuilder, 2013)

    Peggy M. Hayes, Product Marketing Manager for Certiport, provided background on our two Microsoft entry-level certifications designed to help students on their career path:

    • MOS (Microsoft Office Specialist), recognized globally as a premier credential chosen by individuals seeking to validate their knowledge, skills and abilities relating to the Microsoft Office applications. MOS proves competency lending to successful careers in business, academia, marketing, finance, and other areas.
    • MTA (Microsoft Technology Associate), which validates fundamental technology knowledge and prepares students for college, entry level career placement, and advanced Microsoft technology certifications. MTA proves competency supporting a career as an IT professional, database administrator, software developer, HTML pro/gamer, or other technology professional.

    Download the Study
    The State of the IT Industry PowerPoint presentation focuses on technology trends and their impact on nine in-demand IT career pathways, as well as technical knowledge and skills of prospective employees identified with associated ratings of importance and difficulty in finding.

    Download the study and supporting research

    Underpinning the need for exactly this type of training was the plethora of facts presented by Maureen Majury, Director of the Center for Excellence for Information and Computing, headquartered at Bellevue College. Along with figures highlighting the worldwide technology skills gap, Maureen detailed the technology skills most in demand. She shared the following:

    • In the U.S., employers are having the most trouble recruiting for software developers/security professionals, and network/systems admins. (Center of Excellence for Information & Computing Technology, March 2013 IT Skills Gap Forum)
    • Programming and application development lead the list of tech skills in highest demand in the U.S., followed by project management and help desk/tech support. (Computerworld, 2012)
    • Microsoft technology skills are most in demand worldwide, over Google, Apple and Cisco. (Indeed.com, August 2013)

    Here at IT Academy, we know that to some extent we’re preaching to the choir: You’re reading this because you have a vested interest in your students’ futures and the overall well-being of your regional or national economy—or perhaps beyond that, the global economy. And you know that training can provide needed support for success.

    With that in mind, why not share the recorded webinar with your connections on Facebook and Twitter? And be sure to join us for our next monthly webinar November 14th—“Delivering cloud-based, immersive learning experiences for your students.” You can sign up here.

    Kind regards,

    Keith Loeber

    Keith Loeber is the Director of the IT Academy Program for Microsoft Learning Experience. He and his team oversee the strategy, benefits, operations, and policies for the program. An 18-year Microsoft veteran, Keith has spent the last several years in education with the majority of his career focusing on training and certification.

  • Latest from IT Academy

    Chance to Win an Exam Certification Pack! Attend Microsoft Insights October 29th

    Here’s a fantastic opportunity for students to hone professional goals and win a free certification exam pack. Microsoft Insights—October 29th (9 A.M. Pacific Time)—is a free online event designed to help both technology newcomers and veterans chart their technology training path.  A panel of industry experts will provide tips on emerging opportunities in technology fields and relevant training and resources. And they’ll answer these questions:

    • How can I get the skills to be successful?
    • What impacts my earning potential?
    • Is certification the right choice for me?

    Encourage your students to sign up and attend, and they'll be automatically entered into a sweepstakes to win a certification exam pack for their choice of MCSA: Windows Server 2012; MCSA: SQL Server 2012; MCSA: Windows 8; or any MCSD Certification. Check out the rules for more details.

    Help Boost Student Success with Second Shot

     Available now through June 30, 2014, the Second Shot exam offer allows students to retake a Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) exam at no cost if they don’t pass the test the first time.

    Second Shot is a prepaid voucher, limited to all MCP (073 series) exams. Second Shot is attached to all single exams and Volume Licensing. Offer expires June 30, 2014 for single Second Shot exams; the standard 12-month expiration applies for Volume Licensing. Get more details.

    IT Academies in the News

    Jamaican Vocational School “VTDI” Opens Second IT Academy
    The HEART Trust Vocational Training Development Institute (VTDI) has launched its second Microsoft IT Academy, in Gordon Town, St. Andrew, Jamaica. The first one opened in Montego Bay, St. James. Approximately 200 students are expected to benefit from the new program. Read the article.

    Education News from Microsoft

    Student Advantage Offer: Office 365 ProPlus

    Starting December 1, 2013, Microsoft will be providing Office 365 ProPlus to students at no additional charge if all of their faculty and staff are already licensed for Office 2013 Professional Plus via an EES agreement or an Office 365 ProPlus subscription. More than 35,000 institutions worldwide will automatically qualify to deliver the Student Advantage benefit to their students. Learn more.

    Webinar: Understanding the Learning Strategies of the 21st Century Learner

    Microsoft Partners in Learning is hosting a free online event, October 23, 7-8 A.M. or 5-6 P.M. Pacific Time, featuring guest speakers Pat Wyman, Bonnie Terry, and Susan Kruger. The panel will discuss the top strategies 21st-century learners for succeeding in school and the workplace, and technology strategies that enhance learning.

    During the webinar, copies of Amazing Grades will be given away to the first three attendees who ask questions. Amazing Grades is a book with contributions from 101 authors from 13 countries and a special bonus chapter by Nasha Fitter, Worldwide Lead of Microsoft Innovative Schools Program.

    Sign up now.

    Stay Informed & Join the Discussion

    Shine a Light on Your Success!

    By highlighting your IT Academy accomplishments on the IT Academy Blog, you can help lead the way for other IT Academy members and students around the world. Send a brief summary of your success and any accompanying images or videos—along with your contact information—to the IT Academy team. We look forward to hearing from you!

    Follow Us

    Keep up with the latest updates from IT Academy:

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  • Microsoft launched its "Workforce Readiness Campaign" in conjunction with EDUCAUSE last week in Anaheim, California; and IT Academy participated in both events. Two pieces of news followed us home. First, a new IDC white paper study—Skills Requirements for Tomorrow’s Best Jobs: Helping Educators Provide Students with Skills and Tools They Need—has identified 20 of the most common skills in demand for the top 60 high-growth, high-salary jobs of the future. These jobs are expected to account for 11.5 million new hires and 28% of job growth by 2020. Skills cited in the report include:

    • Oral and written communication skills
    • Detail attentiveness
    • Microsoft Office
    • Problem-solving skills
    • Organizational skills

    Not surprisingly, Microsoft Office skills rank high. The study also makes clear that tomorrow’s jobs are going to require both hard and soft skills—a message we try to signal often on Born to Learn but can be lost in the mix when covering the critical and growing technology skills gap. The study highlights how education leaders need to consider the value of technology for building skills required in the workplace versus acquiring technology to check it off a list. In other words, educators need to put the technology to full use.  We were thrilled that an ITA graduate from Utah was featured in this campaign, as highlighted on the Microsoft on the Issues blog in an article by Cameron Evans, chief technology officer, U.S. Education. 



    Where IT Academy Comes In

    With 15,000 programs in 130 countries, IT Academy reaches 8.5 million students and educators every year. In the past 12 months, we’ve issued 1.4 million certifications including Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS), which covers the universally applicable Microsoft Office skills cited in the IDC study.  

    Triumphs come to the fore every day. One recent story comes from Utah, where Dallas Pederson landed a technical job with American Red Cross after receiving certification in high school. A year later he took a job with Executech as a network administrator/IT Consultant.

    “Experience is everything in IT and certifications are the quickest way to get you on your way,” Dallas says.

    Read more about the study: 

  • Latest from IT Academy

    Watch the October 10th Webinar—“Guiding Students Toward a Successful Career”—On Demand

    Did you miss the second webinar in our monthly series? No worries—watch it now, on demand.  Hosted by Keith Loeber, Director of Microsoft IT Academy, this hour-long discussion features special guests Peggy Hayes, Product Marketing Manager for Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) for Certiport, and Maureen Majury, Director of the Center for Excellence for Information and Computing, headquartered at Bellevue College. Keith and guests shared new research on technology career opportunities and recommendations on how educators can help propel students toward their first career. 

    Sign up to view the broadcast, or, if you've already registered, click here to access the presentation

    Help Boost Student Success with Second Shot

    Available now through June 30, 2014, the Second Shot exam offer allows students to retake a Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) exam at no cost if they don’t pass the test the first time.

    Second Shot is a prepaid voucher, limited to all MCP (073 series) exams. Second Shot is attached to all single exams and Volume Licensing. Offer expires June 30, 2014 for single Second Shot exams; the standard 12-month expiration applies for Volume Licensing. Get more details.

    IT Academies in the News

    Penn State IT Academy to Help Ease Professional Development Budget

    Penn State has teamed up with Microsoft IT Academy to provide free e-learning courses to all university faculty, staff and students. The new online training enables faculty and staff across the university to obtain free vouchers to test for Microsoft certification. Penn State Director of ITS Training Services Chris Lucas calls IT Academy an extremely valuable resource “in a time when professional development budgets are a very real concern.” Read the article.

    Rasmussen College School of Technology Allied with IT Academy

    Rasmussen College School of Technology has also started an IT Academy and other technology career-prep programs. Together the new programs will provide access to more than 20 industry certifications as well as opportunities for faculty professional development and certification in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). Read more.

    Education News from Microsoft

    Microsoft to Participate in EDUCAUSE: Anaheim, October 15-18

    Microsoft will be at EDUCAUSE 2013, October 15-18, in Anaheim, California. Join us in Booth 1201 to try out some of our latest products, including Microsoft Surface, or come meet us at the following sessions.

    • A Hybrid Public-Private Cloud Strategy for Institutions
    • Advances in Devices, Cloud Services, and Data Analytics: High-Impact Opportunities for Education.

    Learn more about EDUCAUSE.

    Ontario’s Workforce Skills Gap Costing Billions

    In Ontario, Canada, what workers do on the job doesn’t always match what they’re trained to do, and it’s costing the region and workers up to CA$4.1 billion in foregone GDP and $627 million in provincial tax revenues annually, according to a report by the Conference Board of Canada.

    The report lists critical thinking/problem solving and computer use among top skills needed to fill the workplace skills gap. And it calls information and network technology professional the third most difficult position to fill. Read more.

    Q&A with Lucas Moffitt, Education Technologist

    Lucas Moffitt is a Newcastle, Australia-based software developer who created Lesson Plan Manager, one of a series of connected apps designed to support educators. Lesson Plan Manager enables teachers to create fully customized lesson plans, share them with students and colleagues, and monitor lesson timing while data is synchronized to the cloud. Learn more about the app and Lucas’ perspectives on innovation in education on Anthony Salcito's “daily edventures” blog.

    Stay Informed & Join the Discussion

    Shine a Light on Your Success!

    By highlighting your IT Academy accomplishments on the IT Academy Blog, you can help lead the way for other IT Academy members and students around the world. Send a brief summary of your success and any accompanying images or videos—along with your contact information—to the IT Academy team. We look forward to hearing from you!

    Follow Us

    Keep up with the latest updates from IT Academy:

      Subscribe to our RSS feed |    Follow us on Twitter and   Facebook |   Subscribe to our YouTube channel

  • Youth unemployment is rising. For educators, this begs the question: "How can I best equip students for a competitive hiring landscape?" For tech educators, the challenge may seem tougher, since they're dealing with such fast-evolving terrain.

    Join us October 10th (8-9 A.M. Pacific Time) for our second webinar—“The skills gap in the technology workforce, and how educators can guide students toward a successful career—to get a holistic view of the situation. Our panel of experts will discuss worldwide trends in technology hiring and the value of training and certification in face of these trends. And they’ll zero in on ways that educators can counsel students toward success.

    Unemployment Is Rising, but So Is Tech Hiring

    The good news, amid rising unemployment, is that tech skills continue to be in demand. During our discussion we’ll look at global technology employment projections and what they mean for technology educators. Here’s a sampling:

    Our Guest Speakers Have Their Fingers on the Pulse

    Joining us for the webinar will be Maureen Majury, the Director of the Center for Excellence for Information and Computing, headquartered at Bellevue College. The Center for Excellence is an information resource and solutions-provider that promotes best practices for ICT education and training as well as K-20 faculty professional development.

    Also joining us will be Peggy Hayes, Product Marketing Manager for Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) for Certiport. Peggy’s background includes 25 years of marketing management in high tech and online companies.

    Maureen will draw from her extensive research on career opportunities for students in technology, and she'll share tips for educators on counseling students down a successful career path. We’ll look at some real-world examples of how Microsoft Certifications such as MOS and MTA are giving career-ready students a leg up into their first technology job and a competitive advantage, overall.

    As always, everyone affiliated with an academic institution—IT Academy members and others—are invited to attend. We hope you’ll take a moment to register (if you haven’t already) and sign up for this valuable discussion on how you can guide students toward success.

    By signing up, you’ll gain access not only to this live program, but to prerecorded webinars such as our September 2013 program, available on-demand. View the monthly webinar agenda to see what’s in store this academic year. It’s a full program!

    Keith Loeber is the Director of the IT Academy Program for Microsoft Learning Experience. He and his team oversee the strategy, benefits, operations, and policies for the program. An 18-year Microsoft veteran, Keith has spent the last several years in education with the majority of his career focusing on training and certification.

  • Microsoft Certification Gives High School Students an EdgeMeet a Store Employee Who Got an Early Start

    Note: This article was originally published on the Microsoft JobsBlog.

    Young technology enthusiasts are discovering the value of Microsoft Certification for launching a career. Training programs such as Microsoft IT Academyone of several options for high-school students—provide knowledge, resources and inroads right out of the gate.

    Ryan Miguel is a case in point. Ryan is a Microsoft retail store employee who started on his certification path while looking for electives to fill his high-school schedule. He happened upon two Microsoft Office Specialist courses—one in for Microsoft Word and another for Excel—and he was off! We asked Ryan to describe his experience.  

    What is the value of Microsoft Certification?

    I liked technology but I didn’t realize I had an aptitude for Microsoft Office programs until I took these courses. I competed at the Microsoft Office Specialist World Championships. It’s the largest international competition in Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel and Microsoft PowerPoint.

    Winning a medal in the MOS championships built my confidence and showed me I was really good at using these programs efficiently—one of the best in the world. For me, finding this strength guided the path I took after high school.

    Are you seeing a direct translation between certification and employment?

    I enrolled in college at Western Connecticut State and majored in Management Information Systems. A few years later, a Microsoft store opened in my hometown of Danbury, Connecticut. I was hired as a part-time employee, and every day I put my Microsoft Office knowledge to good use as a product advisor at the Danbury Microsoft retail store.

    I am lucky my high school offered this type of learning opportunity. Mastering Microsoft programs in high school put me one step ahead of my peers as I graduated and looked for a job. Now I have a clear career path.

    Have you signed up for the free Microsoft IT Academy Webinar series? Sign up now! On October 10th, a panel of technology education and career experts will discuss “Guiding Students Toward a Successful Career in Technology.”

  • The IT Academy 2013-2014 Webinar Series got off to an exciting start in September, with “Training with Technology: Using technology within the classroom to engage and motivate students.” Among our featured speakers was Peter Sigmund, CIO of La Salle College High School in Pennsylvania. Peter shared how the school is using Surface devices to improve student performance. We got the sense there was more to his story—and in it, an inspiration for other teachers. So we followed up with some more questions. Here are his answers.

    The Technology program at La Salle College High School has been recognized as a model for Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA) Certification. What’s unique about your program?

    At La Salle, we aim to be one of the most successful Microsoft IT Academies by combining our high certification rate in advanced MTA server and development certifications with our unique Lab Manager program. Our students receive hands-on experiential learning by working as a team, side-by-side with our network administrator and CIO, running a 1,600+ user network. For example, our entire email move to Office 365 was entirely student-run.

    Currently, we are working with Data Protection Manager 2012 to back up all of our systems to the Microsoft Azure Cloud. To provide redundancy for our Office 365 deployment, the Lab Managers and I are discussing moving some of our critical servers as well.

    How many students achieve MTA certification each year?

    Over 100.

    Your program offers a strong focus on experiential learning. What aspects are in place to support this objective?

    The Lab Manager Program at La Salle is one-of-a-kind in combining the official IT Academy Server classes with real-life experiential learning. This hands-on approach makes La Salle one of the most innovative schools in the country and perhaps the world. The program is based on the principles of a sports team, but applied to the world of technology. Through it, the students themselves help run the school network by solving everyday technology issues and fixing critical technical problems.

    The administration was initially hesitant about giving students full permissions to the network, but [we] assured them that by placing [the students] in a real-world scenario, they could utilize their talents fully and gain real experience in running a 1,600 user network. To this day, the Lab Manager Program remains one of La Salle’s proudest student programs.

    How has the Lab Manager Program prepared students for successful careers?

    Our IT Academy classes and Lab Manager Program are focused on preparing students to enter IT leadership classes at major universities. We see our students making a difference in the IT world as experienced members and strong leaders. Although they may believe otherwise, we warn our students about the temptation of entering the industry right after high school, and the so-called “glass ceiling” that they will face without a college degree. On a positive note, colleges and universities are incredibly impressed with our unique program, and many a lab manager has been recruited by high-level universities for technology.

    Educators are always looking for ways to present curricula in an engaging, immersive way. What tools and technologies have you implemented to provide students with the highest quality experience?

    When it comes to the Lab Manager program, there’s nothing like real-world experience, and our lab managers work with the latest in cutting-edge technology. Once again, we have been invited to work with Microsoft to deploy and validate Windows Server vNext prior to the public beta release of the product. La Salle is the only academic institution participating in the Windows Server vNext Microsoft Technology Adoption Program (TAP), joining a place among some of the largest companies and government agencies around the world.

    Looking forward, tell us where you and your school want to take the Surface RT program. How do you and your school plan on growing the program?

    Interesting changes are already in effect at La Salle College High School. Our Surface RT deployment program has been so successful this year that we are already considering issuing devices to the class of 2018. With the students using laptops and Surface tablets more often during the school day and in class, we have begun to rethink the conventional computer lab design.

    In the coming years, we hope to retire many of our existing computer labs and use them solely for our high-level server classes, which require the use of virtual machines for training. Our faculty also remains up-to-date on the newest technology, as we will continue to train them to use Windows 8.1 and integrate student devices in the classroom.

    The La Salle student of the future will be mobile and informed by having constant access to the resources of the Internet. By relying more on easily portable electronic textbooks, we will reduce the need for heavy book bags, and through the use of OneNote and the cloud, students will have access to all their notes on-the-go without having to carry around bulky notebooks. It’s an exciting time to be at La Salle College High School!

    IT Academy member institutions are sometimes limited by resources or budget to grow technology programs as rapidly as they’d like. What are a few ways that a school can rapidly and economically implement programs that improve the teaching of 21st century skills?

    [At La Salle], while the students gain great experience in running an advanced network, the administration is able to maximize efficiency while minimizing cost. In this way, a two-person adult IT staff can function like a 30 person team.

    Peter R. Sigmund, MCSE ‘85 is the Chief Information Officer for La Salle College High School which is located just outside of Philadelphia. Peter has been at La Salle 22 years and, prior to becoming the Chief Information Officer, he was the head rowing coach for the La Salle Rowing Program. He has been certified in Microsoft networking technologies since 1999. Currently Peter serves as the “head coach” of the Student Lab Manager Program that has been featured as one of the top innovative school programs in the country by the Microsoft Partners in Learning Network. Peter is the professor of IT Academy classes for the Microsoft Technical Associate and Microsoft Certified Professional courses.

    Braden Bonner, MCP ’07, who helped answer these questions, is the Network and Website Administrator for La Salle College High School. Braden is an alumnus of the Student Lab Manager Program and, since he returned to La Salle in 2011, has been a key figure in teaching networking technology to the student team. Braden works side by side with Peter Sigmund as an “assistant coach” to the Student Lab Manager Team, and provides core technical teaching on the production La Salle IT Network.

    Did you miss the September webinar? Sign up and view it on demand now.

  • When Eric Franz started teaching Microsoft IT Academy courses three years ago, he “saw the opportunity and just jumped in.” The same go-getter stance underlies his advice to students: “Don’t be afraid of taking the test. Study up and, chances are, you will pass.”

    Eric is a 16-year CTE instructor and IT Facilitator for the Yakima School District in Washington State. After an impressive show of dedication—offering preparation for Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) certification to approximately 400 teachers, staff, and others at 24 schools—he recently earned the 2013 Washington IT Academy Outstanding Achievement scholarship from the Washington Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE).

    The award recognizes an achievement in testing success, certification success, certification ratio to student population, or progression of student certification to Microsoft Office Expert or Microsoft Technology Associate.

    Along with offering twice-a-week, hands-on training, both one-on-one and in groups of up to 30, Eric helps teachers with proctoring exams.

    “I love doing professional development, especially when they say, ‘I wish I knew that about five days ago,’” he said.

    Way to go, Eric! 

    Is there an IT Academy instructor at your school who you think deserves recognition? Send us a note!

  • Latest from IT Academy

    The October Webinar Is One Week Away—Register today!

    Join us next Thursday, October 10th from 8-9 A.M. Pacific Time for the second webinar in our monthly series. Keith Loeber, Director of the Microsoft IT Academy, and certification industry experts will discuss the skills gap in the technology workforce, and how educators can guide students toward a successful career.

    Special guest Maureen Majury--Director for the Center of Excellence for Information and Computing Technology (CoE for ICT) hosted at Bellevue College—will share job growth trends and ways to optimize curriculum and training to the needs of employers today.

    Don't miss this informative and engaging discussion. Sign up today!

    Watch the September Webinar—“Training with Technology”—On-demand

    If you missed September’s event, “Training with Technology,” you can watch it on-demand by registering or, if you’ve already signed up, by logging in here.

    Second Shot Is Back to Help Students Succeed

     Available now through June 30, 2014, Second Shot allows students to retake an exam for free if they don’t pass the first time.

    Second Shot is a prepaid voucher, limited to all MCP (073 series) exams. Second Shot is attached to all single exams and certifications purchased through Volume Licensing. Offer expires June 30, 2014 for single Second Shot exams; the standard 12-month expiration applies for Volume Licensing.

    Don’t delay—get more details and take advantage of this offer while it lasts.

    IT Academies in the News

    New Zealand Students Reap Rewards from IT Academy

    In March 2013, the New Zealand Ministry of Education rolled out a nationwide IT Academy pilot program by inviting schools to apply for free access to the IT Academy program. Ten schools were selected to participate in the pilot based on criteria that included potential to accelerate progress for priority learners. Since then, the schools that have launched classroom programs have reported early successes, including a strong increase in information technology literacy.

    As reported in the New Zealand Education Gazette, students have achieve hundreds of certifications, and an IT Academy student at Tauhara College, Taupo, represented New Zealand at the 2013 Microsoft Office World Championships—an achievement earned by outscoring thousands of others in the Microsoft Office Specialist certification exam—where he placed 8th overall.

    Congratulations to all participants in the New Zealand pilot program. We’ll continue to report achievements across the country as the program expands to new schools.  

    Education News from Microsoft

    Windows 8 Deployment Planning—A Guide for Education

    If your school is considering adding or upgrading devices running Windows 8, be sure to download the Windows 8 Deployment Planning Guide. Designed for IT pros, school administrators, and other faculty members, this guide covers the key considerations and questions that should be answered as a part of a typical Windows 8 deployment.

    This guide contains advice on how to deploy Windows 8 in education—covering the technical aspects that an IT team will need to know to easily and securely deploy Windows 8 to existing and new computers in a school or university. Download the guide today

    Europe Taking a Hard Look at How to Empower Youth, Increase Competitiveness

    The challenge of youth unemployment isn’t just Europe’s problem. The worldwide youth unemployment rate is expected to click upward to 12.8 percent by 2018, according to the International Labour Organization’s report, Global Employment Trends for Youth 2013.

    On the Daily Edventures blog, Anthony Sacito shares a new video interview with Maria Badia I Cuchet, MEP, discussing how government, businesses, and education in the European Union need to adapt to the demands of a global, digital society to empower youth and improve Europe’s economic outlook. Technology, skills and training lead the list of ways to jumpstart innovation, sustainable growth, and workers’ employability.

    Microsoft Event Sparks Commentary on Importance of STEM Education

    On September 25th, Microsoft hosted a discussion among policy makers, educators, and industry leaders to address approaches to modernize and elevate the teaching profession to meet the demands of a globally competitive world, at the Microsoft Innovation & Policy Center in Washington, D.C. Programs such as Microsoft’s TEALS and Partners in Learning initiatives, the CityBridge-NewSchools Education Innovation Fellowship, TLINC, UMUC’s teacher certification programs and TEACH.org drew attention as examples of strong, forward-looking programs.

    Code.org’s Pat Yongpradit, a former computer science teacher, spoke about the need for better STEM education in order to keep the United States competitive. Watch the video and read more about the event.

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