Microsoft to help underprivileged youth

Software giant Microsoft has endeavoured to explore the potential of the underprivileged youth by providing them opportunities for education, employment and entrepreneurship through its 'YouthSpark' initiative, a top company official said.
"There is a growing opportunity divide world over. Youth, belonging to marginalised sections of society, should be given special skill-based training to explore their potential and thus bridging this gap," Akhtar Badshah, Senior Director (Citizenship and Public Affairs), Microsoft Corporation, said during an interaction with journalists here.
Badshah was here yesterday to open the second 'YouthSpark' centre in the country, aimed at providing communication and skill development training for underprivileged youth.

"Even the literate people are not getting good opportunities these days. So, our 'YouthSpark' centres are designed to empower marginalised youth to change their world and ignite sparks within them," he said.
Through such centres, the company would train around 300 million people world over in the next three years.
"We already have 'YouthSpark' centres in around 110 countries. We have plans to impart training to 1.5 lakh youth in the country under the programme," he said.

He said a significant step in setting up such facilities was to identify the right partners in each region.
"Microsoft is not going around and selecting beneficiaries directly. But, we have tie-ups with good NGOs to identify deserved beneficiaries and create awareness among them and their parents about the need of special employability and entrepreneurship trainings," he said.

The company has been working with NGOs like 'Smile Foundation' and 'Aide et Action' in Kerala since 2007.
Badshah said the digital literacy curriculum of Microsoft was used for honing IT skills and special aptitude tests were conducted to identify the area of interest of beneficiaries hailing from different economic, social and educational backgrounds.
"The programme module and system of training would be different in each country. The curriculum will be modified according to the industry demands," he said.
The 'YouthSpark' centres were providing a sustainable model of training as former students were coming and training the freshers, he added.