CINCINNATI, April 12, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The INTERalliance of Greater Cincinnati is thrilled to announce that the first high school student from INTERalliance and Microsoft’s partnership in Azure fundamentals has passed the Azure Certification exam and received his professional certificate along with several local teachers. Xander’s graduation of the course, which teaches essential Azure skills, marks the success of the inaugural certification partnership. More participants expected to graduate in the coming year.
A current junior at Warren County Career Center, Xander says he got involved in the partnership after his networking teacher recommended the program. “Overall, the course was fairly simple and just explained the various Azure products available to be used for businesses,” Xander says. “The certification is fairly unique since not many others show proficiency in cloud computing, so I hope it will help me get into college and get an IT related job in the future.”
Heather Ackels, INTERalliance’s Executive Director, agrees.
“This program is really exciting for us because it allows our students to receive industry applicable training that they can then use to enter the workforce,” says Heather. “INTERalliance is committed to helping our students find the spark of inspiration to pursue a future in technology and this program does just that. We're very thankful that Microsoft chose to invest in INTERalliance to make this opportunity possible for great students like Xander!"
INTERalliance partnership is a new effort to train regional high school students, teachers, and adult learners in Azure fundamentals. Azure is a cloud-computing platform developed by Microsoft. According to its official site, the BBC, Bosch, and the American Cancer Society all use Azure. The skill is in high demand nationally and globallyーas of April 2020, there were more than 26,000 jobs requiring Microsoft Azure skills, and 53% of jobs requiring Microsoft Azure skills had a salary of $141,000 or greater (Glassdoor.com, April 2020). Similarly, there were more than 290,000 open jobs requiring or preferring Microsoft skills and certifications in the US and globally (Indeed.com, April 2020).
The initial program partners included the INTERalliance of Greater Cincinnati and Microsoft, but have now expanded to include MAX Technical Training, the University of Cincinnati, and Apprenti Cincinnati. By working together to deliver critical IT training, these Cincinnati innovators hope to give high school students and adult learners a seamless transition from education to career - through higher education, registered apprenticeship programs or direct employment.
Because of an emphasis on accessibility, the program is completely free for participants (though some restrictions may apply). Interested teachers, students, and adult learners are invited to apply. In an effort to diversify the IT industry, underrepresented applicants, including minority groups and applicants demonstrating financial need, are prioritized.
Anyone interested in participating should email central.office@interalliance.org.
About The INTERalliance of Greater Cincinnati
Based in Cincinnati, INTERalliance is a student-run non-profit whose mission is to inspire and assist young talent to pursue an IT career in Greater Cincinnati. Member companies of the INTERalliance include The Kroger Co., Procter & Gamble, Great American Insurance, FIS, GE, Vora Technologies, Fifth Third Bank, Western & Southern Financial Group, among many others. For more information about INTERalliance School Chapters, or to learn how to start your own, please contact INTERalliance at central.office@interalliance.org or visit www.interalliance.org.
About Apprenti Cincinnati
Apprenti Cincinnati is a non-traditional solution to drive more tech talent in and to the Cincinnati region. The program is working with companies large and small to fill open positions with tech-interested individuals, regardless of educational or professional background. For more information, visit https://www.cincinnatichamber.com/membership/your-partner/apprenti-cincinnati-your-partner or email apprenticincinnati@cincinnatichamber.com