June 2024: #SkillsFirst tools and insights to help you accomplish your goals

We’re excited to invite you to join the all-new #WICxSkillsReadyChallenge, take a deeper dive into Plans, introduce our Microsoft Learn for Organizations Playbook, showcase IDC's latest skilling insights, give updates about Microsoft Credentials, and much more. In this edition, we'll delve into each of these topics, providing you with valuable resources to adopt a skills-first approach in advancing your career.??

The Spark will take a break in July, but we look forward to bringing you the latest news and insights when we return in August!

Jumpstart your career with AI and the #WICxSkillsReadyChallenge

Women in Cloud (WIC) is thrilled to launch the global #WICxSkillsReadyChallenge with Microsoft Applied Skills. According to the 2024 Work Trend Index Annual report from Microsoft and LinkedIn, 66% of leaders would not consider hiring candidates without AI skills. The WICxSkillsReadyChallenge brings together the tools you need to hone your AI skills and earn credentials to showcase those skills, all while offering tons of other benefits and the chance to win exciting prizes. We invite all women and allies who are interested in AI and passionate about furthering their career to join the challenge. Read the blog to learn more.

Accelerate learning with Plans on Microsoft Learn

Plans on Microsoft Learn helps learners, teams, and organizations accelerate the achievement of their learning goals using curated sets of content combined with milestones and automated nudges to keep learners focused and motivated. Learn more in our announcement blog.??

Make?our?Plans?your?Plans?

Plans benefit both learners and team leaders aiming to meet organizational skill development goals. Select Start on a Plan you like and work through it at your own pace, with optional email nudges for motivation. You can also customize and publish your own Plans, then invite individual learners, groups (or your team!) to participate. Check out Plans overview and Create your own plan to get started today.

News and updates

Importance of credentials for organizations and learners amid widening skills shortages

70% of organizations believe industry-recognized credentials are essential or very important tools for skills training*. Credentials help employees prove their skills for role- or project-based needs.?

To learn more, read the blog and?*IDC InfoBrief, Skilling Up! Leveraging Full and Micro-Credentials for Optimal Skilling Solutions.

Introducing Microsoft Learn for Organizations Playbook

To address current talent shortages, business and technology leaders know that training and developing technical skills are imperative for any organization, but it’s only one part of the strategy in a larger playbook. That is why Microsoft Learn is happy to announce a new playbook and innovative planning functionality that can help you chart your organization’s unique learning journey. By helping your learners build skills and earn credentials for Microsoft’s AI apps and services, Azure, and other in-demand technologies, you can help them thrive as individuals while building a culture of continuous learning that empowers your workforce to handle disruption with greater resilience and can advance your organization’s success. Learn more in our recent blog.

Microsoft Fabric: A must-learn solution for informed data professionals?

Microsoft Fabric can help you store, secure, scale, collaborate, model, query, update, enrich, analyze, report, and create dashboards. In this blog, Microsoft Learn Expert Barbara Andrews details how Microsoft Fabric meets growing data needs, and equips you to learn the skills needed to leverage its full suite of capabilities. Whether you want to understand the basics or become a Microsoft Fabric expert, explore the many features of Microsoft Fabric in her blog.?

What's new with Microsoft Credentials?

We’ve got tons of updates in the Microsoft Credentials roundup this month:?

Microsoft Applied Skills?

• Explore the latest Applied Skills scenarios?
• Discover more scenarios in localized languages?
• Make the most of the new Applied Skills study guides?
• ‘Deploy containers by using Azure Kubernetes Service’ is being retired?
• Read the new IDC InfoBrief highlighting the benefits of credentials?

Microsoft Certifications?

• Explore the Dynamics Certification portfolio updates?
• Build your confidence with exam prep resources?

Dive into the details in the June Microsoft Credentials roundup!

ICYMI (In case you missed it)

Learn about the many areas of AI

Key takeaways about the future of Copilot from #MicrosoftBuild

You’re just 5 modules away from being able to create your own copilots

Global partner event spotlight

How to bridge the Generative AI skills gap

Businesses across industries are facing the pressing need to bridge the GenAI skills gap. This gap not only encompasses technical skills but also the integration of GenAI within organizational strategies and ethical frameworks.?Join industry leaders from Microsoft, Dow, and Vanderbilt University as they delve into their journeys of bridging the generative AI skills gap and steering organizational transformation. Gain invaluable insights from their experiences in this on-demand webinar, presented by Coursera, and discover how you can navigate the challenges and opportunities.??

Register now.

Copilot for Microsoft 365: Uncovered

Are you ready to realize the benefits of AI in your everyday work? Using Copilot for Microsoft 365 is like having a personal assistant within your everyday work applications, so you work smarter, not harder. Join Lumify Group technical instructor Rob Gerber for a free 25-minute on-demand webinar and uncover how to use Copilot within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. Gain insights on deployment considerations, get tips on how to craft better prompts and watch live demonstrations across the most popular Microsoft applications.??

Register your interest in these free webinar sessions now! Sessions are Australia- and New Zealand-based, but available globally.?

Microsoft Applied Skills Copilot prompting course

Join Fast Lane, a Global Microsoft Partner for Cloud, for a free one-day Applied Skills Copilot prompting course in July. Enable your team to use Copilot to its fullest extent! This course covers real world scenarios and examples using Copilot in Microsoft 365 apps like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, Outlook, OneNote, and Chat. Explore the key aspects of Copilot and its value for your workforce. Register now.?

Monthly learning tip

Growth mindset 101: Don’t be intimidated to learn new things!??

Lifelong learning is crucial not only for keeping your skills up to date but also for staying engaged and fulfilled by your work. Remember, every expert started at square one, so give new skills a try rather than telling yourself you can’t do it. Microsoft Learn offers great resources for starting out, such as browsing Fundamentals, taking our AI Learning Journey assessment, and joining our Microsoft Learn Community and learning rooms, which are always available when you need help. Dive in and start your learning journey today!?

Learner story submission?

Keep an eye out for the August edition of The Spark for the next opportunity to share your story with us!?