‘Women at Microsoft’ empowers and upskills future digital workforce

This International Women’s Day (IWD), Microsoft Malaysia shines a spotlight on the Microsoft Malaysia Student Accelerator 2020 (MMSA), an initiative led by the Women at Microsoft in collaboration with the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), aimed at equipping university undergraduates with digital skills and relevant industry exposure to help enhance their employability.

The 6-month initiative (October 2020-March 2021) initiative comprised a series of weekly learning sessions and industry scenario-based group projects facilitated by members of the Women at Microsoft over 3 months. Each session involved guests from the industry to provide participants with real insight into various technologies, and how they can be applied to solve problems. Following the training, efforts are focused on providing the graduates with industry placements and employment opportunities in partner companies. To date, 75 students from 8 universities have completed the session, with 37 students signing up for industry placement applications.

Wong Xin Yi, a third-year software engineering student at the Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU), was one of the participants who was offered an industry placement following the programme. “MMSA has not only showed me what working in the tech industry looks like, but also challenged me intellectually and innovatively whilst testing my discipline in balancing schoolwork with MMSA coursework. Through the mentorship and guidance provided by the team, I am so excited to receive a job offer from InFront Consulting Group as a part-time Python web developer! MMSA was a great experience which I’m truly grateful for. I now have a clear vision of myself after graduation and the woman I’m becoming.”

“Our partnership with the Women at Microsoft team through MMSA exemplifies how technology is an equalizing force and Malaysians can level the playing field between genders as more and more women join the tech industry. Today, the value a person can add to an organization is no longer dependent on her gender nor background, but instead determined by her skills, knowledge and determination. Diversity of thought and perspective are key ingredients of innovation, proving that equality and inclusion can only add value to organizations, inevitably creating a technologically integrated society in Malaysia. MMSA illuminates how technology lays the foundation for equal opportunities even in the face of calamity, not just within MDEC and Microsoft but also across the entire tech industry and the nation,” said Dr Sumitra Nair, Vice President, Digital Skills and Jobs Division at MDEC.

“Technology paves the way for equal opportunities and drives a more inclusive world by empowering people and organizations to achieve more,” said Mei Yan Tan, Technology Strategist at Microsoft Malaysia and a proud member of the Women at Microsoft. Women at Microsoft is a voluntary, employee-led resource group that accelerates Microsoft’s cultural journey by increasing inclusion, belonging, equity, and representation of women across racial, ethnic identities, abilities and backgrounds.

”In our partner-facing roles, we hear about the challenge of finding fresh graduates with the right skills to hire. I thought to myself, what if I could engage university students early on and share my expertise? I wanted to help build talent pipelines for digital skills, and MMSA 2020 was initiated. I look at this as a win-win situation for both parties. Students can learn in-demand skills while participating companies can access a pool of skills-ready fresh graduates,” she added.

Microsoft Malaysia applauds the Women at Microsoft team for leading MMSA 2020 together with MDEC, and empowering the next generation of a digital workforce by leveraging technology to achieve more.

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