We live in the midst of the invisible revolution: artificial intelligence (AI), simply defined as intelligence in machines, is all around us, embedded in our everyday apps and devices. AI technology is not only amplifying human ingenuity, but opening more and different kinds of opportunities in the tech industry, and according to a study by the job-matching service The Ladders, science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) jobs are growing the fastest.
While there is a rise in new jobs in tech, the presence of Hispanics in the tech industry remains starkly inadequate at the national level, and according to the U.S. Census Bureau, only 7 percent of all U.S. tech workers are Latino. Additionally, according to Voto Latino, the dismal number of Latinos in high-paying science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers exists not because of a lack of interest, but a lack of access to tech tools, training and mentors — and that lack of access starts long before this demographic gets to college.
To help students succeed in STEM, we need to begin considering how we can best teach new competencies, new skills, new applications and new knowledge to best enhance their futures.
At Microsoft, we believe everyone should have access to the benefits of AI, including the tools it takes to create and transform your work. To make AI available for all and encourage more Latinx to pursue a tech-related job, Microsoft is offering several training courses on AI designed for a variety of expertise levels.
Here are three free training courses in AI that you can take advantage of.
1. Microsoft Professional Program for AI: This program provides job-ready skills and real-world experiences to aspiring AI engineers and those looking to improve their skills in AI. The series of online courses feature hands-on labs and expert instructors, and takes students from a basic introduction of AI to mastery of the skills needed to build models for AI solutions that exhibit human-like behavior and intelligence.
All courses are available online and on demand – so whether you plan to spend a couple of hours per day or a couple of hours per week, you can work on these skills at the pace that is right for you.
Each course runs for three months and starts at the beginning of each quarter. We have 10 required courses which are about 8 to 16 hours per course
You can enroll now here.
2. Microsoft AI Residency Program: This program offers students the opportunity to work alongside prominent Microsoft researchers and engineers to gain real-world, hands-on industry experience. Participants can learn for a year about deploying machine learning solutions across a range of areas such as healthcare, entertainment and productivity.
You can learn more information here.
3. AI School: This training provides online videos and other assets to help developers build AI skills, including general educational tools to expand AI capabilities and specific guidance on the use of Microsoft’s tools and services. With the available resources, you can learn more about Bot Framework, Azure Machine Learning, Cognitive Toolkit, and much more.
Whether your solutions are existing or new, this is the intelligence platform to build on. Learn more here.
The future es ahora, and at Microsoft we believe everyone should have the resources to learn more and become an expert in AI.