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London – CompTIA, the leading provider of vendor-neutral certifications for technology professionals globally, today announced that it is collaborating with Microsoft on a new skills-building initiative at Microsoft Datacenter Academy branches in the Netherland and Sweden.

The program will equip workers with skills for 21st Century jobs and help them gain the experience needed to fill technical roles in their communities. The Academy is a part of Microsoft’s broader Datacenter Community Development initiative, which works to build partnerships that deliver economic, social and environmental benefits in communities where Microsoft operates data centers, described as the bedrock of the digital economy.

The collaboration is focused initially on “train the trainer” bootcamps where Academy instructors from the Netherlands and Sweden are learning CompTIA’s suite of certifications, beginning with CompTIA A+, the industry standard for establishing a career in technology. Instructors will then transfer this knowledge to the classroom, where employees of Microsoft data centers have the opportunity to build their technical skills. CompTIA’s globally recognised certifications will help these individuals build a strong foundation of technical knowledge and skills.

The initiative builds on the success of similar programmes in Ireland and the United States. These community development efforts are addressing the shortage of technology professionals to meet labour market demands. In some instances, the newly trained workers continue their careers with Microsoft. But the vast majority go on to support businesses and organisations in many other industries.

Utaukwa Allen, Senior Director, Microsoft Datacenter Community Development, said: “In order to keep up with the rapidly changing IT landscape, staying up-to-date with the latest skills is essential for anyone in the industry. Rural communities sometimes need extra help with this. We’ve seen great progress with the scheme in the US, so expanding into other areas is a logical next step. CompTIA’s certifications offer a great range of skills training and will help up-skill instructors in preparation for the scheme.”

Graham Hunter, vice president of skills certifications at CompTIA, added: “Expanding the reach of our certifications within the Netherlands and Sweden extends our efforts to address the skills gap at a global level, a key part of our raison d'être at CompTIA. Working closely with a market leader such as Microsoft is a sign of the quality of our certifications suite and we hope to build on this partnership over the coming months.”

CompTIA’s participation in DataCenter Community Development initiative also expands its activities in the Benelux region. In 2019 it established the Benelux Business Technology Community, an open, vendor-neutral peer group focused on the needs of technology businesses and professionals in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.

CompTIA is the global leader in vendor-neutral technical education and certifications in skills ranging from technical support and networking to cybersecurity and cloud computing. Nearly 2.7 million CompTIA certifications have been awarded to technology professionals in 232 countries around the world. Visit https://www.comptia.org/certifications to learn more.

About CompTIA
The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is a leading voice and advocate for the $5 trillion global information technology ecosystem; and the more than 50 million industry and tech professionals who design, implement, manage, and safeguard the technology that powers the world’s economy. Through education, training, certifications, advocacy, philanthropy, and market research, CompTIA is the hub for advancing the tech industry and its workforce. Visit www.comptia.org.

Media Contact:
Steven Ostrowski
CompTIA
630-678-8468
[email protected]­