Empowering the planet
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What is the cloud and why is it important.
We are in the midst of the “fourth industrial revolution,” as organizations and individuals around the world use cloud computing to get the latest and greatest technology, power their businesses and daily lives, and accomplish things never thought possible. The cloud enables many of the activities we use on a daily basis: communication, banking, gaming, entertainment, business applications, artificial intelligence, and many more. The cloud enables organizations to deploy applications anywhere on the globe without constraints. The cloud hosts massive amounts of data that feed these applications and provide information to people and businesses around the world.
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What is the Microsoft Datacenter Pledge?
Datacenters are at the heart of our daily life—hospitals, schools, businesses, and government all depend on the computing that happens in local datacenters. Datacenter buildings house thousands of computer servers and data storage devices connected to the internet.
At Microsoft, we are committed to building and operating datacenters responsibly, for the good of the community. This is our datacenter community pledge. We will contribute to a sustainable future, advance community prosperity and well-being and operate responsibly as a good neighbor.
The five core pillars
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Curriculum
Work with local education partners to ensure high quality industry recognised curriculum.
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Datacenter Lab
Datacenter equipment for hands-on digital skills training and education.
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Mentorship
Connecting with others and learning from current employees. Our local datacenter teams mentor and support students in their education development.
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Work Experience
Opportunity to gain valuable work experience at a Microsoft Datacenter.
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Scholarships & Financial Grants
Provide financial support for diverse students.
Curriculum
Microsoft has partnered with local education institutions to supplement existing IT curricula by incorporating specialized instruction tailored to IT support scenarios within large-scale IT environments, such as hyperscale cloud data centers. While the curriculum may vary slightly from one institution to another, our primary objective is to enhance the employability of the local workforce by ensuring alignment with the core competencies and in-demand skills of the broader IT industry. While some aspects of the instruction may be specific to Microsoft data centers, the curriculum, certifications obtained, and practical hands-on experience gained through the program will benefit all students pursuing a career in IT.
The Datacenter Academy students who successfully complete the program requirements will be awarded with certificates from CompTIA. CompTIA is the world's most trusted certifying body of IT professionals who helps learners get the career they deserve with industry-leading certifications and expert knowledge.
Click on the links below to find details on CompTIA certifications available:
A+, Security+, Network+, Cloud+, Server+
Datacenter lab
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About -
How it works -
School hardware eligibility
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As part of our commitment to community partnerships, Microsoft actively supports our education partners in supplementing classroom instruction by providing resources to build datacenter labs. Through donations of datacenter equipment, we enable these partners to establish on-site labs, offering students valuable hands-on experience with cloud storage tools and equipment. By fostering familiarity with this equipment, students are better prepared for successful careers in IT.
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As part of our commitment to community partnerships, Microsoft actively supports our education partners in supplementing classroom instruction by providing resources to build datacenter labs. Through donations of datacenter equipment, we enable these partners to establish on-site labs, offering students valuable hands-on experience with cloud storage tools and equipment. By fostering familiarity with this equipment, students are better prepared for successful careers in IT.
Mentorship
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Datacenter Q&A -
Instructor Training -
Employee-led classrooms -
Tutoring -
Mock Interviews -
Advisory
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Microsoft datacenter team members may facilitate interactive Q&A sessions, providing students with insights into the daily operations and work environment within a datacenter.
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Microsoft datacenter team members may facilitate interactive Q&A sessions, providing students with insights into the daily operations and work environment within a datacenter.
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Work experience
Microsoft offers work experience opportunities for qualified Datacenter Academy scholars. Where available, scholars' interview for paid work experience within a Microsoft datacenter. The typical work-experience is 12 weeks, covering a variety of entry-level roles in the datacenter, such as datacenter technician, logistics technician, and inventory management.
Skills learned in the classroom and lab environment, such as hardware management and data security protocols, are put to use in a live datacenter environment.
Work experience requirements:
- Datacenter Academy Scholar
- Completed all certification classes
- Passed at least 1 certification test (preference for students passing both CompTIA Server+ and A+ certification tests)
- Completion of field of study (certificate or degree) in Information Technology or Information Communication Technology
- School recommendation
- Datacenter panel interview
Scholarships
Datacenter Academy scholarships help pay for the cost of tuition, fees, and certifications for students who are seeking IT skills, in locations where those costs can impact a student from pursuing education. The scholarships are targeted to help those who have historically been underrepresented in STEM and technical fields. Through these scholarships, Microsoft helps promote the acquisition of skills and certifications for employment in the growing IT sector in Microsoft’s datacenter communities – and beyond.
To apply for a Microsoft Datacenter Academy course, please visit the college in your selected area and submit your application directly to them.
How to apply
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Asia
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Europe
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North America
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South America
Testimonials
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Jesus Estevan Rios III
I am grateful for the scholarship I received from Microsoft. It really helped me be able to afford college as I do not qualify for financial aid.
More about working at Microsoft Datacenters
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https://local.microsoft.com/blog/build-the-skills-to-work-at-our-microsoft-datacenters/
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https://local.microsoft.com/blog/tag/datacenter-employee-spotlight/
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https://news.microsoft.com/europe/features/critical-to-our-modern-society-how-datacenters-power-everyday-necessities/
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https://news.microsoft.com/source/features/innovation/microsofts-virtual-datacenter-grounds-the-cloud-in-reality/
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https://news.microsoft.com/stories/microsoft-datacenter-tour/
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https://youtu.be/80aK2_iwMOs?si=HXMZP16PimUL0I2P