Microsoft and SSAT announce new IT Academy Program to support 21st century school system
New programme will reach nearly half a million students
Blackpool, UK – Wednesday 4 March 2009: Microsoft has today announced an agreement with the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust (SSAT) to help schools deliver IT qualifications designed to meet the needs of students, employers and the 21st century school.
Microsoft’s IT Academy Program has been re-designed to meet the needs of SSAT’s network of schools and gives students practical skills in information technology that are rewarded by a Microsoft certification that is recognised by employers across the world. The programme will be made available through SSAT’s network of specialist schools and academies.
With students worried that it will be difficult to find a job when they leave school, college or university, it is important young people have relevant skills and knowledge that will help to improve their employment prospects. This announcement of an agreement between the SSAT and Microsoft will help schools to respond to the needs of the employment market, and to raise the information technology skills of students and teachers, which will have a positive knock-on effect on local communities.
The programme is expected to cover up to 450,000 students in 500 secondary schools within the first year, building on the existing 300 colleges and universities that deliver the courses and qualifications already.
Speaking of the new partnership between Microsoft and SSAT, Elizabeth Reid, the Chief Executive of the SSAT, said:
“It is important young people have the skills and knowledge required to enter the workplace and make a valuable contribution from the beginning. This initiative builds on our commitment to ensuring students are fully equipped for the challenges of the 21st century. We hope that it will also serve as a valuable resource for the whole community.”
Responding to the requests of the SSAT’s network of schools, Microsoft has re-designed the IT Academy Program, which has been running for the last five years, to deliver training and development for students seeking employment in the IT workplace. The programme has also helped students seeking employment in less technical jobs, but where the use of IT has become a commonplace requirement of employers. At the end of their course, students are able to qualify for a recognised Microsoft certification, which is widely recognised by employers – for example, as a Microsoft Certified System Engineer.
Alan Stevens, Vice Principal of Sawtry Community College in Cambridgeshire, has implemented a similar IT academy programme to today’s announcement for a number of years, and has used it to help students, staff and employers in the local community:
“One of our 16-year old students has now achieved the recognised Microsoft Certified Trainer qualification. It doesn’t replace her achievement at GCSE level, but it will help her to stand out from the crowd when it is her turn to look for a job.”
With the changes in the formal education leaving age coming in 2010, there is a recognised need for all students to have a curriculum that matches their employment aspirations, and the new IT Academy Program agreement between the SSAT and Microsoft will directly contribute to meeting this need. Microsoft has been working with qualifications awarding bodies for at least 5 years to ensure that the programme fits into the national awarding schemes, and today’s expansion of the scheme demonstrates how quickly employers and the education system can work together to respond to the current economic conditions.
Andrew Dent, MD of a local employer in Sawtry, says:
“When I am recruiting new staff, I look for the right qualifications and experience to do the job. If I’m faced with two similar candidates, the one who has job-relevant qualifications will stand out – and a recognised Microsoft qualification would only normally be held by somebody who has already been in a job for a number of years. So students applying with these qualifications have a head start on all of the others.”
Schools joining the Microsoft IT Academy Program will save money and, through the SSAT, will be connected to a network of other schools involved in the programme, thereby giving them the opportunity to learn from others.
Gordon Frazer, Managing Director of Microsoft UK, said:
“This agreement with SSAT will provide students with the right tools when they enter the jobs market, which is an increasingly competitive place, especially for those with limited experience. The IT Academy Program is being created to give students the best possible opportunity to secure a job and show their new employers that they are able to contribute to the business from day one.”
Gordon Frazer and Elizabeth Reid are both members of the Government’s Task Force on Home Access.
Notes:
- Schools can find out more and register by contacting Prodigy Learning – the appointed Microsoft Academic Engagement Provider for the UK on phone: 0845 399 1553 or by email at ssat@prodigysolutions.com
- Schools can register and find out more from the SSAT website at: www.ssatrust.org.uk/ITAcademy. Please note that to benefit from the special SSAT member pricing, you must contact Prodigy Learning to register for this programme.
- Microsoft has reduced the cost of the IT Academy for SSAT members to £560 per year, which includes all training materials and qualification resources, to support teachers to achieve Microsoft Certified Professional and Microsoft Certified Trainer status.
- Qualifications possible through the IT Academy include the Digital Literacy Curriculum (suitable for 13-14 year old students), Microsoft Desktop Technician (equivalent to an A/AS level), up to Microsoft Certified System Engineer (MCSE) which is the equivalent of an NVQ Level 4 (First Degree)
- The Microsoft IT Academy Program will provide SSAT schools with a complete roadmap of IT education and certification. Additionally Microsoft certifications are recognised by OCR, City & Guilds, SQA and Edexcel. These awarding bodies provide validated exams in functional skills, GCSE, A-level and Diploma levels and schools are able to gain valuable performance points and draw down programme funding.
Ends
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq: “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
About SSAT
The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust is a leading national body for secondary education in England delivering the Government's Specialist Schools and Academies programme. The SSAT seeks to give more young people access to a good secondary education by building networks, sharing practice and supporting schools. The SSAT’s way of working is based on the principle 'by schools for schools'. There are over 5000 schools, nationally and internationally, affiliated to the SSAT including primary, secondary and special schools and academies.
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