The coronavirus outbreak has shown that virtually nothing material is indispensable. If you feel like your life has turned topsy-turvy during the lockdown, cherish this time as a period for discovery so you’ll be able to step out of the crisis with a renewed perspective and skillset.

Overwhelmed and don’t know where to begin? Microsoft has got your back. The tech behemoth has launched a new program to help 25 million people around the world advance their careers by equipping them with in-demand skills by the end of the year—and for free, according to Fast Company.

To start out, Microsoft sought to discover the jobs predicted to be the most coveted with a likelihood of staying power lasting over the next decade. It thus adopted LinkedIn’s Economic Graph, which culls “all the data on LinkedIn that shows available jobs, the required skills, and the existing skills job seekers have.”


In no particular order, the model forecasts the 10 in-demand roles to be sought by employers as:

1. Software developer
2. Sales representative
3. Project manager
4. IT administrator
5. Customer service specialist
6. Digital marketer
7. IT support or helpdesk
8. Data analyst
9. Financial analyst
10. Graphic designer


After which, Microsoft rolled out a series of LinkedIn Learning video courses—taught in English, French, German, and Spanish—to help nurture these skills, which will remain free until the end of the year.

If you prefer, you can also take online exams after completing the courses to get certified under “industry-recognized, Microsoft Certifications based on exams that demonstrate proficient in Microsoft technologies” with a top-up of just US$15, a “large discount on the price of exams that typically cost more than US$100,” Microsoft described in a press statement.

The company also hopes to further lower education costs by teaming up with governments, foundations, nonprofits, and other organizations who wish to subsidize the exams.

Find out more about the initiative, or start learning, by clicking here .

SEE ALSO:
https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2020/06/30/microsoft-launches-initiative-to-help-25-million-people-worldwide-acquire-the-digital-skills-needed-in-a-covid-19-economy

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Why it matters: People spend a lot of time, money and effort trying to figure out what kind of career they should pursue. The idea that people with certain personalities are better suited for certain jobs is nothing new, but researchers in Australia have taken things beyond the whole 'extroverts make great salespeople and introverts make great librarians' mindset. By leveraging all the additional layers of data that people reveal on social media, researchers have created a more precise vocation compass people can use to match their profession with their personality.

Source: https://about.unimelb.edu.au/newsroom/news/2019/december/unveiling-a-new-map-that-reveals-the-hidden-personalities-of-jobs

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Why it matters: "How dare you." Those three words, along with a pioneering school strike to protest climate change, catapulted 16-year-old Greta Thunberg into fame in 2019. She is now arguably the biggest voice on the world's biggest issue.

Along the way, she has faced criticism for delivering what some view as a naive and overly simplistic call to action. Others have commended her for showing bravery unseen by leaders three and four times her age. Whatever you think of her, one thing is clear: Greta Thunberg will be an essential player in the climate change debate for the considerable future.

Source: https://time.com/person-of-the-year-2019-greta-thunberg/

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Question: What is on my mind?
Answer: Big Blue Ocean Cleanup
[video]
+ Ekoru Ocean Clean Up Search Engine
www.ekoru.org/

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