Microsoft’s IT Academy to offer IT certification to high school students

High school students across West Virginia now have the opportunity to graduate with an informational technology certification thanks to a new collaboration between the West Virginia Department of Education and Microsoft.

The Department selected Microsoft’s IT Academy, a Microsoft YouthSpark program, for West Virginia’s high schools and career and technical schools, the virtual high school and the WVDE. The announcement was made Tuesday during the Statewide Technology Conference in Morgantown.

The Microsoft IT Academy prepares educators and students with industry-recognized certifications and through the WVDE will be offered to students free of charge beginning in the fall across the state.

The program begins with a catalog of over 1,100 courses designed to teach participants to be proficient in a range of Microsoft products. Then, participants are prompted to the second step of the program.

Students, teachers and support staff are eligible to earn Microsoft Office Specialist or Microsoft Technology Associate, and Microsoft Certified Professional certifications through the program.

According to an IDC study, more than 50 percent of today’s jobs require some technology skills, and experts say that the percentage will increase to 77 percent in the next decade. The gap between the demand for IT professionals and supply of qualified employees with the right technical skills is predicted to be as high as 40 percent over the next five to 10 years.

The WVDE has also launched Microsoft Office 365, a suite of tools for students and teachers for communication and collaboration. Office 365 is being made available to every student and faculty member in West Virginia’s public schools. Through Microsoft’s Student Advantage program, it is provided to students at no charge.