Serving Communities

Our programs have a focus on helping youth and young adults around the world obtain the skills they need and connect to opportunities to pursue their dreams. We have the ability to make education and learning accessible and more engaging for young people everywhere.

Opportunity for Youth

Our world is changing. We’ve seen unprecedented evolution in the last few decades driven by technological and social change. For a long time many, including Microsoft, focused on expanding access to technology to address the “digital divide” and to spread the social and economic benefits as broadly as possible. While this focus is still valid, as we look at the challenges that the world faces today, we increasingly see a new kind of divide – an opportunity divide, especially for young people. Microsoft is committed to helping narrow the opportunity divide. To support our ongoing commitment to learning and education, we have developed programs that empower youth to imagine and realize their potential, to move from opportunity imagined to opportunity realized.

Opportunity for Action Report

The Opportunity for Action Report, a report from the International Youth Foundation, commissioned by Microsoft, documents the growing economic and social challenges facing youth around the world and the urgent need to provide the education, skills and employment opportunities required for them to succeed in today’s rapidly changing global economy.

Opportunity for Action Report

Innovate4Good@Microsoft

A place where young people around the world can come together, collaborate, inspire and support each other whether their passion is social good, starting a new business or getting their dream job. We want to create a global movement for young people that enables them to:

• Connect to others who want to make a real impact for a better tomorrow…for themselves, for their community and for the world
• Envision new ideas and activate them together to create and seize new opportunities
• Access Microsoft and its resources, programs, and events in their community
• Discover how others have used Microsoft technology and programs to do amazing things

Innovate4Good@Microsoft

Imagine Cup Grants

The Imagine Cup is the world’s premiere student technology competition and recognizes the inspiration, innovation and imagination used by students to address some of the world’s toughest problems. Microsoft has committed $3 million over the next three years to provide select teams from the finals with grants of cash, software, training, consulting and other support to bring their Imagine Cup project from the campus into the real world.

Over 358,000 students representing 183 countries and regions competed in the 2011 Microsoft Imagine Cup – the world’s premier student technology competition. The Imagine Cup recognizes the inspiration, innovation and imagination of students around the world.

Imagine Cup Grants

Microsoft Shape the Future

By partnering with governments around the world to create inclusive technology solutions, Microsoft connects students with relevant and affordable education technologies.

Microsoft Shape the Future

Microsoft Students to Business

Microsoft is committed to training students for jobs of the 21st century. Last year we trained more than 360,000 students worldwide in technology and job skills through Microsoft Students to Business, which connects students with Microsoft partner companies.

Microsoft Students to Business

Microsoft IT Academy

We partner with thousands of schools to provide information and communications technology training and technology resources for students and teachers. Our goal is to improve student employability and the professional development of teachers through the Microsoft IT Academy.

Microsoft IT Academy