A year of collaboration between Fastrack to IT and Microsoft has resulted in more than 6,000 people signing up for mentored training to find a career in the digital economy, the computer and software giant says.
The StepIn2Tech programme was initially developed by Microsoft Ireland in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The aim was to equip 10,000 learners over a two-year period with the digital skills required to gain in-demand jobs in the digital economy.
The initiative also supports individuals who have either recently left school or college or are mid-career and interested in developing their digital skills.
Learners participate in up to five starter courses focused on productivity, coding, infrastructure, cloud, and design, helping to deepen their knowledge and skills levels in these areas.
Each course is free, and can be completed online at the learner’s own pace with the guidance and support of FIT’s team of ‘digi-chaperones’.
Those who complete a starter course or more are invited to participate in the StepIn2Tech mentoring programme which Microsoft Ireland employees are delivering.
In Association with
Over 400 learners have completed the mentoring programme so far, with 84 Microsoft employees volunteering almost 3,000 hours between them to date.
Vice president James O’Connor said: “It’s hugely encouraging to see that over 6,000 people have engaged with StepIn2Tech. “With the World Economic Forum predicting that 90% of all jobs will require digital skills by 2030, it’s crucial that dedicated pathways are made available for people to acquire the training and skills needed to access the increasingly technology-based job opportunities of today and tomorrow.
“It’s inspiring to hear about the experiences of StepIn2Tech graduates, such as Ilona, and to see how their lives and career paths have been enhanced through this programme. By empowering people to acquire digital skills, StepIn2Tech is aiding the transition to a digital-first economy, which must be inclusive for all.”
FIT chief executive Peter Davitt added: “With learners coming from a diverse range of backgrounds and sectors that had been negatively affected by the pandemic, such as hospitality and retail, StepIn2Tech has proven that it can help people to develop their digital skills and avail of either new career opportunities in the digital economy or take further steps on their learning pathway.”
Course graduate Ilona Tkachenko is enthusiastic about what the course delivered for her: “Quite soon after the pandemic hit, I was made redundant from my job and found myself at home with my family minding my two kids.
“As we navigated our way through that strange time, I came across this advertisement for total IT beginners to start a cyber security course. That turned out to be StepIn2Tech.
“The course worked brilliantly for me as I was able to do it at my own pace and, with the support of the FIT digi-chaperones, I really surprised myself with everything that I learned, and how much I wanted to keep learning and keep discovering. At the end of the course, I graduated with certificates in security fundamentals and CompTIA Security.
“I also engaged in the Microsoft mentoring sessions, which have been invaluable in helping me to prepare for job opportunities. I’m interviewing for a number of security operations analyst positions and am hoping to secure a job very soon.
"StepIn2Tech has opened up a whole world of opportunities for me and I’d encourage anyone who is out of work or looking to change career to take that first step.”
Photo (l-r): Maggie Zielinska, StepIn2Tech participant; James O’Connor, Sruthi Ravali, StepIn2Tech participant, and Peter Davitt
