Get Job Skills: Elevate America

• Our veterans initiative helps U.S. veterans to transition from military to civilian employment.
• Our community initiative focuses on working in partnership with nonprofit organizations who provide technology access and training in their local community to help people find employment.
• Our online resources offer no-cost and low-cost training assets that help people develop better technology skills.
• Our state voucher program, launched in 2009 in partnership with states across the country, provided nearly 900,000 training and certification vouchers through local state workforce programs through August 2010.

The Microsoft Elevate America state voucher program was launched in February 2009 in partnership with states across the country. This program, which ended in August 2010, provided over 800,000 no cost Microsoft e-learning and certification exam vouchers through local state workforce programs, helping people gain the technology skills training and resources they need to find employment. Microsoft e-learning and certification exam vouchers are no longer being distributed as a part of Elevate America. To find more of the job skills and training resources available to you now, check our Training Resources site.

Elevate America's State Voucher Program: Lessons Learned

The report of lessons learned from the Elevate America state voucher program are based largely on an in-depth examination of the experiences of 26 of the states and the District of Columbia. They draw on program data provided by the states and D.C. as well as interviews with participating agency staff. The report describes the economic conditions and demographic circumstances within the participating states and D.C., presents an overview of the approaches taken and the results, and shares insights gained by Microsoft and participating partners. It also offers guidance to state and federal policymakers on ways to support and improve future efforts to expand ICT training.

Resources that Can Help You Today

Elevate America provides the education and training you need to operate computers with confidence—from using the Internet, to sending e-mail, to becoming proficient in Microsoft Office Word and Excel. The following resources will help you get started building the skills you need to get ahead.

Begin using free online learning to build your basic technology skills.

Get started learning now

Learn about other free basic technology training curriculum at Microsoft.

Learn more about the Microsoft Unlimited Potential curriculum

Learn more about the Microsoft Digital Literacy curriculum

Find a Microsoft Community training partner.

Microsoft provides support to nonprofit organizations throughout the United States who make basic information technology (IT) skills training available in their local communities.

Find a nonprofit training provider near you