Microsoft's Future Ready Talent program to empower India’s youth with tech skills

Designed specifically for learners, the Future Ready Talent program aims to skill over 1.5 lakh students in data, artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, cybersecurity and other technical skills that will be in demand in the future.

Microsoft on Wednesday announced the launch of Future Ready Talent, a virtual internship program for undergraduate students, that brings together a strategic group of partners to empower India's youth with technology skills to make them job-ready.

Designed specifically for learners, the Future Ready Talent program aims to skill over 1.5 lakh students in data, artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, cybersecurity and other technical skills that will be in demand in the future.

For this program, Microsoft, along with the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), FutureSkills Prime, a NASSCOM and Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) digital skilling initiative, Ernst & Young (EY), GitHub and Quess Corp, will provide a holistic skilling platform to build a vibrant skilling ecosystem in the country.

The program will offer students an end-to-end experience, from digital skilling to working on critical projects in a sandbox environment, to mentoring with industry experts and access to potential employers.

India's youth is among the country's biggest competitive advantages. Empowering this talent with the right skills to be self-reliant will be foundational to our long-term growth. The Future Ready Talent Program provides a holistic skilling experience that connects learners more readily with new job opportunities.

Anant Maheshwari, President, Microsoft India

The collaboration will see the program partners providing the following:

• Microsoft will provide learning modules and certifications through its learning platform, Microsoft Learn, skilling students on topics like cloud computing, data and AI, and cybersecurity.
• AICTE will ensure the curriculum is aligned to the National Education Policy, 2020.
• SSC NASSCOM will provide alignment of relevant courses to the National Occupational Standards, linking these courses on FutureSkills Prime.
• EY will provide technology and industry mentorship to students during their internship tenure.
• GitHub will provide students with free access to the best developer tools via the GitHub Student Developer Pack, as well as the opportunity to collaborate on projects with other developers on GitHub.
• Quess Corp will manage the learner experience and host a virtual career fair for participants, exposing them to career opportunities across the Microsoft customer and partner ecosystem.

The program is open to all students who will be joining the workforce in the next 2 years along with students who graduated in 2021. Starting today, eligible students can apply for the internship program by visiting the Future Ready Talent website and registering for open batches.