Extend student learning

  • 7 minutes

There are many resources available for secondary and post-secondary students who are ready to extend their learning in the technology world. You may be able to directly connect your students with the listed STEM opportunities Microsoft offers. There are also other community organizations that might be able to help your entire community’s CS education infrastructure as well.

Read more in this section about how you can help your educational community with:

  • Skills for jobs
  • Community organizations

Skills for jobs

There are many formal as well as self-service opportunities for the youth in your community to advance their skills.

Internships (US focused)

Research the Microsoft internships listed on this page of the Resource Guide. Note that each program has a different focus and different required candidate qualifications. Even if your educational community focuses on primary or early secondary grade bands, it’s still a great idea to learn more about the opportunities that exist and to help your students understand what they would need to do in order to qualify.

Spotlight: Microsoft Intern Day 2022

This highlight reel from the 2022 summer internship experience for the Microsoft University internship program can help you get inspired!

Skills for jobs

Digital skilling is at the heart of Microsoft’s commitment to supporting inclusive economic growth. The programs listed in this section target many learners, but especially those that have been excluded from the digital economy and those who have suffered job losses. There are many resources and opportunities to help people learn in-demand technical skills that can help them both on the job and during the job search process. Which members of your community would benefit from these resources?

Spotlight: Skills for jobs and LinkedIn

You may already be familiar with LinkedIn, a Microsoft subsidiary, which is the world’s largest professional network. LinkedIn allows people to connect with others and create a professional profile that highlights their skills and work experience. Secondary and TVET students might be ready to start creating their professional profile and searching for opportunities through the job search function.

LinkedIn Learning also offers professional development and skills-based learning paths to help people at all career stages. Through the Skills for Jobs initiative, a number of courses have been unlocked for the general public so that more learners can upskill for free and earn professional certificates that prepare them for a variety of in-demand roles in the tech world. Example roles that might be of interest to computer science students that want to extend their skills are systems administrator, data analyst, and software developer. You can access these learning paths here.

Certifications

Explore modules on Microsoft Learn for in-demand skills using Microsoft technology. The Resource Guide lists the Fundamentals courses that are foundational for all other role-based learning paths in the Microsoft system.

Pause and reflect

  • K-12 educator
    • Do any of your students qualify for the internship or upskilling opportunities listed on this page?
    • For internships at the collegiate level, what supports might you need to give students at the primary and secondary level of education, so they're aware of and qualify for these advanced opportunities?
    • Are the Microsoft learning paths and certifications appropriate for the student population you serve?
  • School leader
    • How can you help get out the word about the internships and upskilling opportunities available to students in the Microsoft network?
    • Are there guidance counselors or work-based learning coordinators in your educational community that might benefit from knowing more about Microsoft internships, certifications, and other upskilling opportunities?
  • Administrator
    • How can your organization leverage the resources on this page to help the populations and educational institutions you serve?
  • Parent/guardian
    • Would your child qualify for any of the opportunities listed on this page? If so, is there something you can do to help and encourage them to apply?
    • Are there any upskilling opportunities that you would like to take advantage of?

Partner organizations

CS education is supported by many community organizations around the world. This Resource Guide page lists organizations that focus both on offering resources for educators and school leaders and those that offer more student-centered resources. We suggest that you visit the organizations that interest you and contact them directly to learn more!

Resources for educators and school leaders

This is a small sampling of the six organizations listed:

  • CSTA: The Computer Science Teacher Association has active chapters of CS teachers worldwide. If you yourself or an educator you support is new to teaching CS, it’s highly recommended to get involved in CSTA.
  • CSforAll: CSforAll is an advocacy organization that has the SCRIPT framework for teams, often at a district level, to plan what implementation looks like across grade bands in their educational system. If you work at a school leader or district level, there are trained facilitators that could guide your district through the envisioning process. CSforAll also partners with JROTC (Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps) cadets to advance cybersecurity education.
  • Generation Unlimited: This is the world’s first Public-Private-Youth Partnership (PPYP) that is active in 54 geographically diverse countries/regions. They focus on connecting youth around the world to skilling opportunities and work!

Resources for students

Look at the organizations listed that have resources for students. Which might be good for your student population?

Pause and reflect

  • K-12 educator
    • Look at the organizations listed that have resources for students. Which might be good for your student population? Are there any resources from these organizations you can share with your students?
  • School leader
    • Has your district made a plan for what CS education looks like across grade bands? If not, consider contacting CSforAll about a SCRIPT workshop.
    • Are there organizations listed that your community would benefit from connecting with?
  • Administrator
    • Does your educational organization have any relationships with the organizations listed on this page?
  • Parent/guardian
    • Is there someone at your child’s school who might be interested in connecting with the listed organizations?