Microsoft announces its single biggest philanthropic investment

Microsoft Philanthropies yesterday announced its single biggest philanthropic investment. Microsoft is partnering with the Markle Foundation to invest more than $25 million over three years to expand Markle’s successful Skillful initiative.

The jobs of today increasingly require new skills, and these skills are changing rapidly. Skillful initiative is integrating businesses, state government, non-profits, and educators to make a new way of creating and accessing opportunity. They use data and technology tools to provide information around the value of educational and training programs, giving educators a clearer picture of which skills are in demand in their area, and giving businesses a better sense of which skills are available in their applicant pool.

Skillful’s coaches and online services will allow job seekers to learn what skills are in demand, and access professional training at any stage of their career.

• Facilitating widespread adoption of high quality skills-based employment practices.
• Aligning educational programs to employment needs by informing and driving collaboration through industry-specific approaches.
• Driving increased transparency and data around educational outcomes to make it easier for job seekers to understand the value of different training programs.
• Encouraging widespread understanding of the multiple pathways to success that are available in the digital economy.
• Creating a system of effective, evidence-based coaching to help job seekers successfully achieve career growth and opportunities for good paying jobs in high growth industries.

Learn more about this announcement here.