South Africa: Microsoft Join Forces With YES to Equip 300,000 Youths with AI Training
An innovative Artificial Intelligence (AI) training initiative, made possible by a partnership between Microsoft South Africa and the Youth Employment Service (YES), will equip 300,000 young South Africans with digital skills and promote creativity, employment, and economic growth in the future.
The recent Microsoft South Africa’s A New Era with AI event in Sandton highlighted the long-standing cooperation between YES and Microsoft, which is expanded upon by the AI Youth Training Platform.
More than one thousand IT experts and developers spearheading the nation’s AI revolution praised this project as a critical game-changer.
Together, YES and Microsoft have selected and created specialized training materials, providing a training route that accommodates varying degrees of exposure to AI and computer science expertise. The website raises awareness and helps young people grow their AI skills from beginner to expert levels.
An introductory AI learning program was created to give young people a foundational understanding of AI, highlighting its usefulness and practical purpose, since it was recognized that the world of AI can seem foreign to many.
The partnership’s dedication to providing young people with digital skills for future-focused industries and professions is emphasized by YES CEO Ravi Naidoo, whose substantial list of beneficiaries attests to the scope of the effect they hope to accomplish.
From a practical standpoint, the alliance seeks to increase employment and improve employability, helping the nation develop a technologically inclusive economy.
The president of Microsoft Africa, Lillian Barnard, highlights that in addition to addressing young unemployment, this partnership with YES promotes creativity and employability by developing digital skills.
It creates a global talent pool for digital firms in keeping with Microsoft’s AI strategy, which emphasizes innovation, empowerment, and accountability. Youth who complete YES training increase their career prospects and awareness of AI, which improves their employment prospects.
