Microsoft is committed to strengthening the U.S. economy and increasing global competitiveness by improving access to education and workforce-readiness skills required for twenty-first-century jobs. To support this commitment, we launched Elevate America, an initiative designed to provide 1 million vouchers for Microsoft E-Learning courses and select Microsoft Certification exams at no cost to recipients. Elevate America will be implemented in cooperation with states across the country as part of our overall effort to help train 2 million people over the next three years.
Each State Agency Determines Which Training Benefits to Offer
As resources become available in a state, the designated agency selects from one or more of the following:
Foundation-level skills through Microsoft Unlimited Potential and Digital Literacy curricula and Windows and Microsoft Office Basics via Learning Plans.
Vouchers for e-learning courses offered by Microsoft
- Vouchers for certification exams leading to Microsoft Business Certification
- Discounted Microsoft IT Academy membership rates for academic institutions
To keep up with what states have signed up to offer these services go to here.
In addition the program also has an entrepreneurs component.
Give your small business the boost it needs to become a successful company in today’s challenging economic climate with Microsoft BizSpark, a program designed to help young companies receive funding at a time when credit is hard to come by.
In addition to funding, BizSpark members get direct access to software, developer tools, technical assistance, and server products at no upfront cost. Microsoft also helps promote network startups with scalable marketing solutions and visibility.