Veterans Get Help Joining IT Ranks

You might remember Elevate America, a program that Microsoft announced early last year. (If you need a refresher, start here and here.) The idea at the time was, with the recession in full swing, to help those newly unemployed or just entering the job force to acquire skills in IT. Rather than just give money away, the company created the initiative to fund local programs that would do the training. Microsoft has been introducing it slowly, going state to state and growing the program.

It's not just states that are taking part in the bounty. Microsoft recently announced $8 million in cash and software it'll provide to support programs aimed at discharged U.S. veterans. According to the press release, the first of these groups is the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. The company cites some interesting stats from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, which has shows that unemployment among veterans from those campaigns is higher than among nonveterans.

If you know a veteran, pass this message along. If you are one, let us know how this program is helping you.

Noteworthy: As of this writing, Microsoft launched the Elevate America program in California. Read more here.

Posted by Michael Domingo on 03/11/2010 at 11:59 AM