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  1. AWS
    Take advantage of the newest certification for Microsoft Fabric
    In today's rapidly evolving data landscape, the role of data engineers is more critical than ever. As organizations increasingly rely on data-driven decision-making and AI-powered solutions, the demand for professionals with solid data engineering skills continues to grow. Data engineers must have expertise in a diverse set of tools and technologies to build resilient, scalable, and intelligent data systems.
     
    To support these professionals, we’re glad to announce the general availability of the Microsoft Certified: Fabric Data Engineer Associate Certification and its related Exam DP-700: Implementing Data Engineering Solutions Using Microsoft Fabric.
     
    This new certification validates the skills needed to implement and manage analytics solutions using Microsoft Fabric, a unified, AI-powered solution that integrates Power BI, Azure Data Factory, and Azure Synapse Analytics to help you turn raw data into actionable insights. By earning this certification, data engineers can demonstrate their expertise in:
    Implementing and managing an analytics solution. Ingesting and transforming data. Monitoring and optimizing an analytics solution.  
    Get ready to take Exam DP-700 and earn the new certification:
    Check out the Exam DP-700 study guide and explore potential exam topics. Work through the available Exam DP-700 self-paced training. From January 14, 2025, through March 31, 2025, take advantage of a limited-time offer to get a 50% discount on Exam DP-700. For details, go to the Fabric Community. Register for the Get Certified: DP-700 live learning series, presented by Microsoft Most Valuable Professionals (MVPs) and experts. Sessions begin January 28, 2025. Explore the instructor-led Course DP-700: Microsoft Fabric Data Engineer. For more information about the course, contact one of our Training Services Partners, which are located around the world. We’re retiring the Azure Data Engineer Associate Certification
    In addition to introducing the new certification, we’re announcing the upcoming retirement of the Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Engineer Associate Certification and its related Exam DP-203: Data Engineering on Microsoft Azure. The certification, related exam, and renewal assessments will all be retired on March 31, 2025.
     
    The following questions and answers can help you determine how these retirements could impact your learning journey:
    Q: If Microsoft is retiring this certification, does it mean that Azure Synapse Analytics will also be retired?
    A: Microsoft has no current plans to retire Azure Synapse Analytics. You can continue to deploy, operate, and expand the PaaS offering of Azure Synapse Analytics. For more details, read the blog post Microsoft Fabric, explained for existing Synapse users
     
    Q: What if I’m studying for Exam DP-203?
    A: If you’re currently preparing for Exam DP-203, you should take and pass the exam before March 31, 2025. If you’re just starting your preparation process, we recommend that you explore the new Fabric Data Engineer Associate Certification and its related Exam DP-700: Implementing Data Engineering Solutions Using Microsoft Fabric.
     
    Q: I’ve already earned the Azure Data Engineer Associate Certification. What happens now?
    A: If you’ve already earned the Azure Data Engineer Associate Certification, it will stay on the transcript in your profile on Microsoft Learn. If you’re eligible to renew your certification before March 31, 2025, we recommend that you consider doing so. Renewal of this certification won’t be possible after this date.
     
    Q: Will this change impact Microsoft Partners?
    A: Microsoft Partners who earn the Azure Data Engineer Associate Certification before it retires will continue to earn points or credit toward offering requirements as long as this certification remains on their transcript, until a year after the Certification is retired. New credentials may be eligible for inclusion in the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program requirements. These changes will be shared with partners when additional details are available.
    Validate your data skills with
    Microsoft Credentials
    Microsoft Certifications verify technical proficiency for broad role-based competencies, and Microsoft Applied Skills help you demonstrate your capabilities in specific scenarios or workloads, complementing the broader certification skills. Together, these two types of Microsoft Credentials can validate your comprehensive data and AI skill set.
     
    To prove your skills for data engineering, data science, and data analysis projects with Microsoft Fabric, such as implementing data science and machine learning solutions, Real-Time Intelligence solutions, or data lakehouses or warehouses, consider the relevant Applied Skills, logical complements for the new Fabric Data Engineer Associate Certification.
     
    Discover complementary Microsoft Credentials to prove your skills in data engineering, data science, and data analysis
    Get ready for a bright future
    The future of data engineering is bright, and with the right skills and credentials—including the new Fabric Data Engineer Associate Certification—you can be at the forefront of this exciting transformation. Embrace the power of Microsoft Fabric and join us in shaping the future of data and AI.
    View the full article
  2. AWS
    Resistance to adopting AI in the workplace is real. For many, it’s not due to an unwillingness to change but rather from a genuine sense of “FUD”—that is, fear, uncertainty, and doubt—around AI.
    Constructively addressing FUD is essential to fostering a supportive learning culture that empowers people to thrive in the era of AI transformation so that you and your entire organization can thrive, too.
    At Microsoft, we’re the first to use and test our own AI technologies internally before releasing them to customers, so we recognize the need to understand the underlying causes of FUD, find positive ways to address them, and provide helpful solutions. We’ve also found that skilling up on AI and learning how it can streamline our workloads, improve our decision-making, and increase our productivity can reduce concerns and boost enthusiasm around this cutting-edge technology.
    Transforming fear into opportunity
    Probably the biggest fear in the workplace is that AI adoption might lead to job loss, but the reality is that a number of experts are optimistic. In Generative AI likely to augment rather than destroy jobs, the United Nations International Labour Organization (ILO) predicts that AI “is more likely to augment than destroy jobs by automating some tasks rather than taking over a role entirely.” Many job roles will likely evolve to become hybrid—using AI to complement human work.
    Given this evolution of work, AI skills are in high demand, and this presents an opportunity for employees in nearly every discipline, field, industry, and role. Proactively building AI skills equips workers to adapt to the transforming workplace. And skilling up provides a meaningful way for them to overcome their fears and develop confidence in their capabilities and in the technology. Organizations that provide skill-building opportunities thus help not only their workers but also the organizations themselves. For details on resources, opportunities, and solutions for acquiring AI skills and competencies, read Get AI ready: Build skills with Microsoft Learn.
    Dispelling AI uncertainty with a learning culture
    The AI transformation is happening so fast that uncertainty is sometimes seen as the baseline, not the outlier. We’re all learning right now, in real time. As we test Microsoft AI apps and services, we’re actively figuring out what AI can do. Practically speaking, everyone in the workforce needs to put AI to work and see what it can do. An organizational learning culture can support these efforts and help dispel uncertainty.
    Ethan Mollick, Professor of Management at the Wharton School and a noted authority on AI and entrepreneurship, has found that the biggest gains come in organizations that encourage cooperative learning. In the Beyond the Prompt podcast episode titled What everybody’s missing about AI in business, he points out, “It starts with culture.”
    The episode also encourages listeners with this key takeaway: “Use AI for everything you can: The only way to truly understand AI's capabilities is to use it for as many tasks as possible.”
    Empowering your teams with AI training on Microsoft Learn for Organizations
    The consensus on overcoming AI FUD in organizations is that skills training and a learning culture are key, and a team training environment can greatly support this growth. Microsoft Learn for Organizations curates Microsoft Learn training for teams and organizations, including offerings to help build AI skills and confidence:
     
    Microsoft Learn for Organizations Playbook: A guide to skill up your team for AI and beyond. The playbook helps you to develop an AI skill-building plan, with resources to maximize your impact at the individual, team, and organizational levels. Links to AI skill-building for your organization, live webinars, and insights and strategies on building a learning culture. Links to the Copilot learning hub on Microsoft Learn, the AI learning hub on Microsoft Learn, and the Security hub on Microsoft Learn. Official Plans that cover the latest Microsoft AI apps and services, including “Build, test, and deploy applications securely with GitHub and Microsoft Azure,” “Implementing data integration and model grounding with Azure AI Studio and Microsoft Fabric,” and “Accelerate app development by using GitHub Copilot.” The latest Microsoft Credentials. These industry-trusted and Microsoft-verified credentials give learners the flexibility to grow the AI and cloud skills needed for critical roles or projects.  
     Microsoft Certifications validate a wide range of skills required to be successful in a job role. Learners earn a Certification by passing an exam. AI-focused Certifications include “Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals” and “Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Scientist Associate,” among others. Microsoft Applied Skills validate skill sets specific to real-world technical scenarios. Learners earn them by passing interactive lab-based assessments on Microsoft Learn. More than half of the Applied Skills portfolio is focused on AI, including “Build a natural language processing solution with Azure AI Language,” “Create an intelligent document processing solution with Azure AI Document Intelligence,” and many more.  
    Get started on your AI journey at Microsoft Learn for Organizations, and make the most of the many team training opportunities available there. As you and your teams begin to put newly acquired AI skills to use streamlining workloads, increasing collaboration, adding productivity, and more, we hope that the fear, uncertainty, and doubt around AI begin to fade and are replaced by enthusiasm for the many possibilities that the future of AI in the workplace presents.
     
    View the full article
  3. AWS

    What's new with Microsoft Credentials?

    Security · %s · %s

    Welcome to the October 2024 edition of our Microsoft Credentials roundup, where we highlight the latest portfolio news and updates to inspire and support your training and career journey. 
     
    In this article 
    What’s new with Microsoft Applied Skills? 
    Explore the latest Applied Skills scenarios 
    Applied Skills updates 
    Take the Microsoft Learn AI Skills Challenge 
     
    What’s new with Microsoft Certifications? 
    Announcing the new Microsoft Certified: Fabric Data Engineer Associate Certification (Exam DP-700) 
    New pricing for Microsoft Certification exams effective November 1, 2024 
    Microsoft Certifications to be retired 
    Build your confidence with exam prep resources 
     
    Let’s talk about Applied Skills  
    Want to have a bigger impact in your career? Explore Microsoft Applied Skills credentials to showcase your skills. According to a recent IDC study*, 50% of organizations find that micro-credentials like Microsoft Applied Skills help employees get promoted faster! 
    *Source: IDC InfoBrief, sponsored by Microsoft, Skilling Up! Leveraging Full and Micro-Credentials for Optimal Skilling Solutions, Doc. #US52019124, June 2024 
     
    Explore the latest Applied Skills scenarios  
    We’re all about keeping you up to date with in-demand, project-based skills? Here are the new scenarios we’ve launched: 
    Build distributed apps with .NET Aspire 
    Build AI-powered solutions using Microsoft Azure Database for PostgreSQL 
    Implement information protection and data loss prevention with Microsoft Purview 
     
    Coming soon 
    Stay tuned for the following Applied Skills and more at aka.ms/BrowseAppliedSkills: 
    Implement retention, eDiscovery, and Communication Compliance in Microsoft Purview  
    Develop data-driven applications by using Microsoft Azure SQL Database 
     
    Applied Skills updates 
    We ensure that Applied Skills credentials stay aligned with the latest product updates and trends. Our commitment to helping you build relevant, in-demand skills means that we periodically update or retire older assessments as we introduce new ones.  
     
    Now available 
    These assessments have been updated and are now back online:   
    Create and manage canvas apps with Power Apps 
    Create and manage automated processes by using Power Automate 
    Create and manage model-driven apps with Power Apps and Dataverse 
    Implement a Real-Time Intelligence solution with Microsoft Fabric 
    Implement a data science and machine learning solution with Microsoft Fabric 
    Implement a data warehouse in Microsoft Fabric 
    Implement a lakehouse in Microsoft Fabric 
    If you have been preparing for these credentials, go ahead and take the assessment today! 
     
    Retirements  
    Keep an eye out for new credentials in these areas. 
    Retired: Build collaborative apps for Microsoft Teams 
    Retiring on October 31st: Develop generative AI solutions with Azure OpenAI Service 
     
    Take the Microsoft Learn AI Skills Challenge   
    Dive into the latest AI technologies like Microsoft Copilot, GitHub, Microsoft Azure, and Microsoft Fabric. Explore six curated topics designed to elevate your skills, participate in interactive community events, and gain insights from expert-led sessions. Take your learning to the next level with a selection of the topics to earn a Microsoft Applied Skills Credential and showcase your expertise to potential employers. Start your AI journey today! 
     
    Share Your Story 
    Have you earned an Applied Skills credential that has made a difference in your career or education? Bala Venkata Veturi (see below) earned an Applied Skills credential through the #WICxSkillsReadyChallenge.
     

    We’d love to hear from you! Share your story with us and inspire others with your journey. We could feature your success story next! 
     
    What’s new with Microsoft Certifications?  
    Announcing the new Microsoft Certified: Fabric Data Engineer Associate Certification (Exam DP-700) 
    These days, as organizations strive to harness the power of AI, data engineering skills are indispensable. Data engineers play a pivotal role in designing and implementing the foundational elements for any successful data and AI initiative. To support learners who want to build and validate these skills, Microsoft Learn is pleased to announce the new Microsoft Certified: Fabric Data Engineer Associate Certification, along with its related Exam DP-700: Implementing data engineering solutions using Microsoft Fabric (beta), both of which will be available in late October 2024. Read all about this exciting news and explore other Microsoft Credentials for analytics and data science, in our blog post Prove your data engineering skills, and be part of the AI transformation. 
     
    New pricing for Microsoft Certification exams effective November 1, 2024 
    Microsoft Learn continually reviews and evolves its portfolio of Microsoft Certifications to help learners around the world stay up to date with the latest technologies, especially as AI and cybersecurity skills become increasingly important in the workplace. We also regularly update our exam content, format, and delivery. To reflect their current market value, we’re updating pricing for Microsoft Certification exams, effective November 1, 2024. The new prices will vary depending on the country or region where you take the exam. For most areas, there will be no change in the price. For some areas, the price will decrease to make the exams more affordable. For a few areas, the price will increase to align with global and regional standards. The goal is to make Microsoft Certification exam pricing simpler and more consistent across geographies while still offering a fair and affordable value proposition. Check out all the details in New pricing for Microsoft Certification exams effective November 1, 2024. 
     
    Microsoft Certifications to be retired 
    As announced in Evolving Microsoft Credentials for Dynamics 365, the following Certifications will be retired on November 30, 2024: 
    Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Sales Functional Consultant Associate (Exam MB-210) 
    Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Customer Insights (Journeys) Functional Consultant Associate (Exam MB-220) 
    Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Customer Insights (Data) Specialty (Exam MB-260) 
    If you’re currently preparing for Exam MB-210, Exam MB-220, or Exam MB-260, we recommend that you take the exam before November 30, 2024. If you’ve already earned one of the Certifications being retired, it will remain on the transcript in your profile on Microsoft Learn. If you’re eligible to renew your certification before November 30, 2024, we recommend that you consider doing so. 
     
    Build your confidence with exam prep resources 
    To better prepare you to earn a new Microsoft Certification, we’ve added new Practice Assessments on Microsoft Learn, including:  
    Exam MB-335: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management Functional Consultant Expert  
    Exam MB-500: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations Apps Developer Associate  
    Exam MB-800: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Functional Consultant Associate  
     
     
    Watch this space for the next Microsoft Credentials roundup as we continue to evolve our portfolio to help support your career growth.  
    Follow us on X and LinkedIn, and make sure you’re subscribed to The Spark, our LinkedIn newsletter.   
    Previous editions of the Microsoft Credentials roundup  
    June 2024 
    March 2024 
    February 2024 
    January 2024 
  4. AWS

    New Certification for Microsoft Fabric data engineers

    Microsoft · %s · %s

    We’re looking for Microsoft Fabric data engineers to take our new beta exam. Do you have subject matter expertise in data loading patterns, data architectures, and orchestration processes? If so, and if you’re responsible for ingesting and transforming data, securing and managing an analytics solution, and monitoring and optimizing an analytics solution, be sure to check out this exam.
     
    If this is your skill set, we have a new Microsoft Certification for you. The Microsoft Certified: Fabric Data Engineer Associate Certification validates your expertise in this area and offers you the opportunity to prove your skills. To earn this Certification, pass Exam DP-700: Implementing Data Engineering Solutions Using Microsoft Fabric, currently in beta.
     
    Is this the right Certification for you?
    This Certification could be a great fit if you have subject matter expertise with data loading patterns, data architectures, and orchestration processes. Responsibilities for this role include:
    Ingesting and transforming data.
    Securing and managing an analytics solution.
    Monitoring and optimizing an analytics solution.
    You should work closely with analytics engineers, architects, analysts, and administrators to design and deploy data engineering solutions for analytics.
    You should be skilled at manipulating and transforming data by using Structured Query Language (SQL), PySpark, and Kusto Query Language (KQL).
     
    Ready to prove your skills?
    Take advantage of the discounted beta exam offer. The first 300 people who take Exam DP-700 (beta) on or before November 12, 2024, can get 80 percent off market price.
    To receive the discount, when you register for the exam and are prompted for payment, use code DP700Covington. This is not a private access code. The seats are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. As noted, you must take the exam on or before November 12, 2024. Please note that this beta exam is not available in Turkey, Pakistan, India, or China.
     
    Get ready to take Exam DP-700 (beta):
    Review the Exam DP-700 (beta) exam page for details. The Exam DP-700 study guide alerts you to key topics covered on the exam.
    Work through the Get ready for the new Fabric Data Engineer Associate Certification Official Collection of curated content to help you get ready.
    For additional information, explore our Microsoft Learn Blog post Prove your data engineering skills and join the AI transformation.
    Want even more in-depth training? Connect with Microsoft Training Services Partners in your area for in-person offerings.
    Need other preparation ideas? Check out my blog post Just How Does One Prepare for Beta Exams?
     
    Did you know that you can take any role-based exam online? Online delivered exams—taken from your home or office—can be less hassle, less stress, and even less worry than traveling to a test center, especially if you’re adequately prepared for what to expect. To find out more, read my blog post Online proctored exams: What to expect and how to prepare.
     
    The rescore process starts on the day an exam goes live, and final scores for beta exams are released approximately 10 days after that. For details on the timing of beta exam rescoring and results, check out my post Creating high-quality exams: The path from beta to live.
     
    Ready to get started?
    Remember, the number of spots to advantage of the discounted beta exam offer is limited to the first 300 candidates taking Exam DP-700 (beta) on or before November 12, 2024.
  5. AWS
    To fully realize the benefits that AI can bring to your organization, your workforce needs to know how to use AI-powered tools and services and how to integrate them into existing workflows. As the World Economic Forum Future of Jobs 2023 report explains, “Training workers to utilize AI and big data ranks third among company skills training priorities in the next five years and will be prioritized by 42% of surveyed companies.” Whether you have a well-established training framework for your employees or you’re just starting to set up your skill-building processes, validating that your training programs are up to date with the latest technical skills can be a challenge.  
     
    Microsoft Training Services Partners (TSPs) can help your workforce quickly build these cutting-edge skills. TSPs teach IT skills that directly transfer from the classroom to the workplace, and they offer: 
    Deep technical expertise and experience in Microsoft's AI apps and services. 
    Skills assessments and customized training plans, based on your organization’s needs and objectives. 
    In-depth training solutions taught by Microsoft Certified Trainers (MCTs) and centered around Microsoft Official Courseware and Microsoft Credentials, using content from Microsoft Learn. 
    Self-paced and instructor-led courses, virtually and in person, making the most of local market expertise, videos, interactive labs, and Microsoft Certification preparation resources. 

    Prioritizing AI training is essential 
     
     TSPs around the world have helped employees in countless organizations build their skills in AI and other Microsoft technologies. Check out the following stories from Skillsoft and Sulava to find out how TSPs are helping learners' skill up on AI.  
     
    Skillsoft: A global presence for AI skills training
    TSP Skillsoft has a global presence, serving over 60% of the Fortune 1000, with customers across 160 countries or regions. In conjunction with Microsoft, Skillsoft developed the AI Skill Accelerator program, a combined curriculum and training approach to prepare workers to take advantage of AI tools, including Microsoft Copilot and Azure OpenAI Service. As a Copilot “customer zero,” Skillsoft trainers know well how to help customers skill up since they’ve built their own skills by going through the same learning experiences. 
     
    This comprehensive program is aimed at accelerating your organization’s ability to integrate AI capabilities into the business and enabling your employees to develop practical AI skills that can be applied directly to their work. It includes a generative AI tool for the business customer, Skillsoft CAISY™ Conversation AI Simulator, Skills Benchmark assessments, and customizable content. Skillsoft can upskill your entire organization on Microsoft’s AI apps and solutions, including Copilot and Azure AI. 
     
    "We recently adopted Microsoft Copilot at Skillsoft and launched a multi-step Copilot Enablement Program to help all team members build familiarity with Copilot and understand how the technology can increase their daily productivity. As we advance our AI transformation, we are leveraging our AI Skill Accelerator program to upskill our team, which is validating the importance of a structured enablement program to take full advantage of Copilot capabilities and other emerging GenAI tools." 
                                                                               —Orla Daly, Chief Information Officer (CIO), Skillsoft 
     
    Get more information about how Skillsoft can accelerate AI skill building across your organization. 
     
    Sulava: A pioneer in AI skill building
    Finland-based Sulava, a leading TSP, is a pioneer in helping organizations adopt AI. In its collaboration with Indutrade, a technology and industrial company, Sulava provides ongoing training sessions for Indutrade employees. Over a six-year period, Sulava has conducted more than 180 of these sessions, covering topics such as Microsoft's AI apps and services, Office 365 apps, and Microsoft Power Platform, taking advantage of modern work methods and tools, and cybersecurity. The training sessions address current skilling needs, leading to improved efficiency, job satisfaction, and reduced support ticket volumes. 
     
    More recently, the collaboration has expanded to include Sulava’s Copilot Adoption Service, facilitating the implementation of Microsoft 365 Copilot and providing ongoing training to ensure that Indutrade and its subsidiaries can effectively use AI and work more efficiently.  
     
    "I think it’s very important that we chose Sulava for this service because it’s too much to expect people to figure out using AI on their own. The transition of work requires a lot of effort, and it needs support and training."
                                                                                                          —Jarmo Kaijanen, Chief Information Officer (CIO), Indutrade 
     
    Read all the details in Indutrade Develops Skills from AI to Cybersecurity. 
     
    These are just two of the inspiring stories that illustrate how TSPs can assist your organization with AI skill building. If you and your teams are ready to skill up with the experts, find a TSP near you. 
     
     
    Coming next: Get AI ready: Empowering developers in the era of AI 
    Stay tuned for the next post in our “Get AI ready” blog series, as we shine the spotlight on ways to empower developers in the era of AI. Even as AI ushers in new opportunities, helping you to improve your productivity, security, and creativity as a software developer, it also brings some challenges, like staying current with the latest technology. In this post, we explore the wealth of Microsoft Learn skill-building resources and offerings that can help you learn to develop with AI, build AI applications, simplify your toolchain, incorporate security best practices, and make the most of tools like GitHub Copilot. 

     
    Learn Microsoft AI with our blog series: Get AI ready
    Check out other articles from our AI-focused series of blog posts exploring perspectives and opportunities to acquire critical AI skills.  
    Get AI ready: Build skills with Microsoft Learn 
    Get AI ready: Inside the Copilot Learning Hub 
  6. AWS

    Don't miss out: Six Copilot learning opportunities for everyone

    Microsoft · %s · %s

    Remember the early days of the internet? I do. It was like discovering a new world. I spent hours diving into the depths of cyberspace, amazed at the endless information just a few clicks away. I felt like I had the world’s largest library right at my fingertips. Fast-forward to today, and we’re moving from the era of search engines to the age of the prompt. Now, instead of just typing keywords, we craft detailed, thoughtful queries with precision and intent. If you’re looking to stay current with AI, learning these new skills isn’t just useful—it’s a career-defining move.
     
    In this transformative era of computing, as AI promises to revolutionize our lives and businesses, Microsoft Copilot stands out as a powerful ally. Technical learners can start building their Copilot skills on the Copilot learning hub on Microsoft Learn. And there are many ways that other learners can skill up to fully harness its potential.
     
    Remember, Copilot is for everyone! It can enhance productivity, collaboration, efficiency, and more, and for the learner, understanding its nuances and adapting effectively are key to maximizing its benefits!
     
    As a Microsoft Technical Trainer actively engaging with learners on Microsoft Copilot usage, I’m glad to share my advice here on six essential learning opportunities that can help you realize the full potential of Copilot at work.
     
    Craft effective prompts. A key skill for many learners is the ability to create effective prompts for Copilot—making the most of its efficiency to crush their everyday tasks. If you need to write clear, concise instructions that yield accurate results in the Microsoft 365 apps that you use regularly, I recommend the Craft effective prompts for Microsoft 365 Copilot learning path on Microsoft Learn.
     
    Refine completions. Occasionally, Copilot provides an unexpected answer. In this scenario, you need to validate its output and refine it as necessary. But how do you do this?
    Focus on the art of the prompt. Get a good start on Examine how to build an effective prompt, specifying goal, context, expectations, and source. This article offers detailed guidance on crafting a highly effective prompt to get exactly what you’re looking for.
     
    Use grounding and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG). Grounding feeds your model the right info for spot-on answers, and RAG fetches the freshest data to keep it current. Together, they help ensure that your Copilot completions are sharp, relevant, and on point. To get the expert’s edge on how to source your prompt, I recommend the section on grounding in Prompt engineering techniques in the Azure OpenAI Service documentation on Microsoft Learn.
     
    Understand relevance. Knowing how to integrate Copilot effectively into your everyday workflow is crucial. To learn how Copilot can directly align with your specific job tasks or career, check out the Empower your workforce with Microsoft 365 Copilot Use Cases learning path on Microsoft Learn. It offers detailed use cases for operations, finance, marketing, HR, IT, sales, executives, and more. If you’re looking for ways to see how Copilot is relevant to your personal life, read Microsoft Copilot personal and work experiences explained.
     
    Clarify privacy. Many learners have questions about Copilot and their private information. It’s important to know that Copilot is designed with data safety in mind. Microsoft 365 Copilot is designed with top-notch privacy and security measures that respect your organization’s data security and is compliant with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other regulations. Your data stays yours, and Microsoft doesn’t use it to train its models. Find out more in Data, Privacy, and Security for Microsoft 365 Copilot.
     
    Make the most of Copilot—everywhere. Copilot is available in many Microsoft technologies and services, including Microsoft 365 apps, like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. For specifics how to use Copilot in each Microsoft 365 app, see Microsoft 365 Copilot and Reinvent productivity with Microsoft 365 Copilot. It’s also available in Windows on the Start menu or taskbar and more, as highlighted in Discover the power of AI with Copilot.
     
    Boost collaboration and more with Microsoft 365 Copilot Teams and discover how to accelerate efficiency with Copilot in Dynamics 365. Learn to harness the power of Copilot in Microsoft Fabric to find actionable data insights for your organization. Build better apps faster with Copilot in Microsoft Power Platform. Plus, streamline Azure operations and management with Copilot in Azure. Find out how to make the most of Copilot in Microsoft Edge. You can even use Copilot to create unique images and designs with Image Creator in Bing.
     
    Build your proficiency. If you’ve used Copilot for a while and you want to advance to the next level, I recommend integrating this cutting-edge technology into your everyday tasks to maximize your efficiency. Practice and exploration can accelerate your learning process. And level up your prompting skills with advanced prompt engineering techniques, as explored in the Azure OpenAI Service documentation on Microsoft Learn.
    Try a free version of Copilot, or download the Copilot mobile app to get started. Now that we’ve explored some of the top opportunities for learning about Copilot and perfecting your skills, use this cutting-edge AI technology with confidence to drive your everyday projects, making the most of your everywhere, always available assistant.
     
    Meet Barbara Andrews, Microsoft Learn expert 
    Barbara Andrews began her professional career as an accountant but soon discovered that she loves technology and has a passion for learning and teaching. She has worked with almost every on-premises Microsoft server technology (except Exchange Server) and has worked her way through many Azure services. As a Microsoft Technical Trainer, Barbara specializes in Azure infrastructure, data, and AI. She has a passion for helping working professionals and career changers build skills and pursue their dream careers, and she has upskilled more than 20,000 students, both online and in person.
     
    Learn more about Barbara Andrews.
     
  7. AWS

    Stay ahead of cyber threats with security skill building

    Security · %s · %s

    As organizations around the world contend with mounting cyber threats, one thing is clear: building security skills is everyone’s responsibility. And cybersecurity isn’t just for October—it’s a year-round concern. Sophisticated attacks are increasingly common and costly; combatting them requires a comprehensive strategy that invests not only in cutting-edge technology, but in the knowledge and abilities of your team.  
     
    Your team’s security skill level can be the difference between significant financial and reputational losses and successfully defending against malicious actors. Unfortunately, there is a significant and growing security skills gap that can limit an organization’s ability to respond.
     
    That’s why we published the paper Stay ahead of cyberthreats with security skill building from Microsoft Learn, to share how prioritizing security skill building in your organization can help you strengthen your defenses against cyber risks and remain resilient when threats arise.  Resiliency requires leaders to address a critical reality—that security isn’t just a technology issue, it’s a human issue.
     
    At Microsoft, we’ve weathered prominent security threats, evolved with the changing security landscape, and confronted the challenges that come with maintaining security skills in a world where technology never stops changing. This lived experience has prompted our own security transformation and a renewed commitment to corporate accountability. And we’ve learned it’s critical to achieve the right balance of investments in security across people and technology.
     
    So how do you ensure your team has sufficient levels of competency, especially when 76% of organizations believe that “security skills are the most difficult abilities to recruit for and retain” and 78% say they “lack the in-house skills needed to fully achieve their cybersecurity objectives?”
     

     
    That’s not an easy question, but we found there are two important actions that stand out as critical to your security skilling plans:
    Build a learning-first culture—leaders must position skills development as a condition of collective and individual success. At Microsoft, for example, we encourage leaders to create time and space for their teams to learn, develop role-based skilling plans, and emphasize the value of learning from each other.
    Place security skill-building initiatives at the center of your cybersecurity strategy—security skill-building for both technical and non-technical employees should be championed from the top of the organization and include a clearly defined skilling path for designated teams.
     
    Your skilling efforts will likely need to focus on building baseline skillsets as well as deeper bodies of knowledge across teams. Start by examining the structure of your organization to determine the skills each team needs to learn or expand. It’s also a good idea to keep in mind that teams need to work together to strengthen security measures across your organization.
     
    Because security skills are not one size fits all, it’s helpful to designate accountabilities and requisite skills by team—including business groups, IT, and data specialists. To succeed, everyone in the organization must cultivate a security mindset. 

     
    By setting the expectation that everyone in your organization is responsible for digital security, you will be well-positioned to adopt and implement security skill-building plans as a central component of your cybersecurity strategy.
    Wondering how Microsoft Learn can help accelerate your security skill-building journey? Check out our Security hub—learn.microsoft.com/security  
  8. AWS
    Keeping pace with security challenges, business needs, and evolving technology starts with current insights—which is why we’re glad to share these new Microsoft Security skill-building resources and offerings.
    Earn your wings with Microsoft Security Copilot Flight School
    Building on the foundational learning in Learn Live: Get started with Microsoft Security Copilot, host Ryan Munsch, Principal Tech Specialist at Microsoft, explores several intermediate technical topics (Level 200+) in our Flight School videos, ranging from what Microsoft Security Copilot is (and isn’t) to key capabilities and experiences, along with how to extend Copilot across your organization.
     
    Each topical video is 10 minutes or less, aligning to relevant modules on Microsoft Learn. They’re useful for IT pros who want to enhance their ability to identify, analyze, and respond to security alerts and to protect at the speed and scale of AI.
     
    Flight School training topics include:
    What is Microsoft Security Copilot?
    AI orchestration
    Standalone and embedded experiences
    Copilot in Microsoft Entra, Intune, and Microsoft Purview
    Managing your plugins
    Prompting in Copilot
    Prompt engineering
    Using promptbooks
    Logic apps
    Extending Copilot to your ecosystem
    Explore our updated Security hub for every learner
    Redesigned for learners at all levels, the Security hub on Microsoft Learn is your go-to resource for security skill-building offerings, which are now easier to find based on your interest and learning objectives.
    Find expert guidance aligned to your security journey. From building foundational security skills and gaining specialized knowledge to proving your capabilities with Microsoft Credentials, get the guidance you need.
    Explore the latest resources organized by security focus area. Learn about advances in Zero Trust, identity and access, security operations, IT security, and much more.
    Connect with like-minded communities, partners, and other thought leaders. Join the conversation and get inspired to level up your skills and knowledge.
     
    Find the latest technical skill-building content with the Security hub.
    Improve your cybersecurity skill set with new modules and learning paths
    Get started with Microsoft Security Copilot in SC-200: Mitigate threats using Microsoft Security Copilot. In this new learning path, you’ll become familiar with basic terminology, learn how Copilot processes prompts, explore the elements of an effective prompt, and find out how to enable the solution. This learning path aligns with Exam SC-200: Microsoft Security Operations Analyst, which is required to earn the Microsoft Certified: Security Operations Analyst Associate Certification.
     
    We also recently launched two new modules that can help you build your identity and data security skills:
    Deploy and configure Microsoft Entra Global Secure Access. Learn how Global Secure Access lets you make identity the gatekeeper to your network access, using Zero Trust principles to protect your data and apps. You can take this module as part of the SC-300: Implement an Authentication and Access Management solution learning path.
    Prevent data loss in Microsoft Purview. In this module, get the details on Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention (DLP), which helps safeguard sensitive information by monitoring and preventing accidental data leaks across your organization's digital platforms. Find out how to plan, deploy, and adjust DLP policies to protect sensitive data in your organization, helping to ensure security without disrupting daily work.
    Demonstrate your security expertise with new Microsoft Applied Skills
    Professionals focused on data security and threat protection can demonstrate their expertise by earning these new Microsoft Applied Skills:
    Implement information protection and data loss prevention by using Microsoft Purview. Demonstrate your ability to implement Microsoft Purview Information Protection and DLP, and validate that you can discover, classify, and protect sensitive data in Microsoft 365, effectively implementing data security by using Microsoft Purview. This assessment is particularly relevant for information protection and compliance administrators, in addition to security operations analysts.
    Implement retention, eDiscovery, and Communication Compliance in Microsoft Purview. Earn this Applied Skill by proving your ability to implement retention, eDiscovery, Communication Compliance, and content search in Microsoft Purview. This could be an especially good fit for compliance administrators who are familiar with Microsoft 365 services and Microsoft Purview and have experience administering compliance in Microsoft 365.
    Stay current with our updated Azure Security Engineer Associate Certification
    The Microsoft Certified: Azure Security Engineer Associate Certification, earned by passing Exam AZ-500: Microsoft Azure Security Technologies, fulfills essential business and technical requirements by validating that professionals have the skills and knowledge to effectively manage and enhance security in Azure environments. Azure security engineers add value by improving security measures, addressing compliance, managing risks, and enabling cost-effective solutions—all of which are crucial for the successful operation of businesses relying on Azure services.
     
    The updated Azure Security Engineer Associate Certification includes several key revisions focused on implementing, managing, and monitoring security across Azure, multicloud, and hybrid cloud environments as part of an end-to-end infrastructure. These cover regulatory compliance controls, Copilot integration, AI security posture management, attack path analysis, and cloud security explorer. The updates help equip Azure security engineers with the tools and knowledge to manage evolving security challenges while collaborating with architects, developers, and security operations teams.
     
    If you’ve already earned this Certification and it’s scheduled to expire within six months, you’re eligible to take the Microsoft Certified: Azure Security Engineer Associate renewal assessment for free.
  9. AWS
    Today, cybersecurity is everyone’s job. Although specialized engineers are vital, the best defense is from the ground up and from end to end.
     
    You’re not imagining it—the number of major cybersecurity incidents is increasing. And according to Forbes Advisor Cybersecurity Stats: Facts And Figures You Should Know, "The repercussions of cyberattacks are far-reaching and costly. A data breach costs $4.88 million on average in 2024. In 2023, compromised business emails accounted for more than $2.9 billion in losses. These alarming figures emphasize the danger of cyber vulnerabilities and highlight the need for skilled cybersecurity professionals.”
     
    Even small and medium-sized organizations can inadvertently provide cybercriminals with a pathway to bigger targets, which means that every organization needs to skill up its teams to protect against ransomware, data breaches, and other security incidents.
    National Cybersecurity Awareness Month is an ideal time for organizations of all sizes to refocus and make a plan to build strong, year-round defenses. Microsoft Learn for Organizations can help your teams build skills to protect and secure your data, information, and systems.
     
    Apply security first, across the board
    Even the most sophisticated cyber defense is built on the basics. The US Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC’s) Cybersecurity Basics include using strong passwords and multifactor authentication, keeping all software and systems updated, securing backups, and of course, remaining on the alert against phishing.
     
    Another good start is Microsoft Security 101, which explains security-related vocabulary, core concepts, and best practices. Or check out the Security hub on Microsoft Learn, which offers technical guidance and resources for aspiring and experienced cybersecurity professionals.
     
    Beyond these foundations, organizations should cultivate a true security-first culture, as embodied by the Microsoft Security First Initiative (SFI). Upskilling across all roles and teams can minimize weak links in the protective chain, empowering your entire organization to prevent, detect, and mitigate issues.
     
    Microsoft Learn for Organizations includes Plans on Microsoft Learn that cover security training for various job roles, such as:
    Learning for Microsoft cybersecurity architects
    Learning for Microsoft data security administrators
    Learning for Microsoft identity and access administrators
    Learning for Microsoft security operations analysts
    Microsoft Security for business leaders and chief information security officers
     
    Build skills with cybersecurity training from Microsoft Learn
    Microsoft Learn offers self-paced, on-demand security training for many roles, skill levels, and products, and Microsoft Learn for Organizations curates this content for you and your teams to make it easier to reach your goals. The new Microsoft Security Technical Training poster highlights key offerings—whether you’re just starting out or you want to earn an expert Certification.
     
    Get started with cybersecurity basics
    Begin your learning journey with self-paced training on the essentials:
    Describe the basic concepts of cybersecurity examines how you and your team can protect your organization from cyberattacks.
    Implement information protection and data loss prevention by using Microsoft Purview explores how to govern and protect your organization’s sensitive information.
    Course SC-900: Microsoft Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals covers foundational knowledge, along with the capabilities of the cloud-based identity and access management solution Microsoft Entra. It can also help you prepare to earn the Microsoft Certified: Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals Certification.
     
    Build core skills
    The core security training on the new poster dives deeper with self-paced offerings that help you skill up to earn Microsoft Certifications:
    Course SC-200: Microsoft Security Operations Analyst teaches you to investigate, search for, and mitigate threats using Microsoft Sentinel, Microsoft Defender for Cloud, and Microsoft 365 Defender.
    Course SC-300: Microsoft Identity and Access Administrator covers configuring and managing identities for users, devices, Azure resources, and applications. Use Microsoft Entra to design, implement, and operate your organization’s identity and access management.
    Course SC-400: Administering Information Protection and Compliance in Microsoft 365 teaches the skills needed to fill the role of information protection and compliance administrator.
    Course AZ-500: Microsoft Azure Security Technologies prepares you to fill the role of Azure security engineer, as you implement security controls, maintain your organization’s security posture, and identify and remediate security vulnerabilities.
    Learning path SC-100: Design solutions that align with security best practices and priorities offers expert training for real-world cybersecurity skills to protect your organization’s assets, business, and operations.
     
    Earn scenario-based credentials
    Microsoft Applied Skills credentials focus on validating in-demand technical skills in specific scenarios, proving your readiness to take on new tasks and projects for your team. Security-focused Applied Skills scenarios include:
    Configure SIEM security operations using Microsoft Sentinel. Demonstrate your ability to create and configure a workspace, deploy a content hub solution, configure analytics rules, and configure automation in Microsoft Sentinel.
    Secure Azure services and workloads with Microsoft Defender for Cloud regulatory compliance controls. Show that you can mitigate risks in network security, data protection, endpoint security, and posture and vulnerability management.
    Implement information protection and data loss prevention by using Microsoft Purview. Validate your ability to discover, classify, and protect sensitive data in Microsoft 365, effectively implementing data security by using Microsoft Purview.
     
    Be cybersmart—always vigilant and always learning
    Technology is ever evolving, and so is cybercrime. And building a strong cybersecurity defense is a journey. You and your teams can build your skills anytime—not just during National Cybersecurity Awareness Month! The resources, offerings, and opportunities on Microsoft Learn—curated for teams on Microsoft Learn for Organizations—can help you and your organization build the skills needed to address today’s security requirements and empower your teams to better meet tomorrow’s cybersecurity challenges.
  10. AWS

    Get AI ready: Empowering developers in the era of AI

    Microsoft · %s · %s

    The rise of AI is reshaping software development—providing opportunities for AI-assisted development and building AI applications while also bringing significant challenges. For developers, adapting to this AI-driven landscape requires proactive skill building. At Microsoft Learn, we support you with focused training resources, empowering you to thrive in this fast-evolving environment and helping you to address new hurdles, including: 
    Staying current with technology. The pace of advancements in AI can be overwhelming, and many developers need specialized skills for integrating AI. Filling these gaps requires access to the right training and tools that make learning effective and efficient. 
    Complex integration. Bringing AI into existing workflows can add complexity to development processes. Without clear guidance, it can be difficult to effectively incorporate AI without disrupting current systems. 
    Security and ethical concerns. Building secure, compliant, and ethically responsible AI solutions involves careful planning and execution. Developers must navigate the nuances of ethical AI use, while meeting security and compliance guidelines. 
     
    At Microsoft Learn, we’re all about helping you build skills to tackle technical challenges. Our approach is designed to equip you with practical tools and resources, so you can develop the skills that matter most to you. Whether it’s boosting your productivity, tightening up security, or unleashing your creativity with AI, we’re here to support you every step of the way. 
     
    Elevate your AI development skills 
    At the recent GitHub Universe’24, we learned how integrating tools from the Microsoft and GitHub ecosystems, including Azure AI services and GitHub Copilot, can streamline building, testing, and deployment of AI applications—all within one environment.  
     
    With that inspiration, we’ve put together a wealth of resources to help you build, practice, and validate your expertise. We know that your time is valuable, so we’ve streamlined the path to learning AI technologies. Our curated set of Official Plans on Microsoft Learn is tailored to fit your schedule and learning style, offering self-paced modules and interactive training. 
     
    Dive into the recommended Plans that cover topics like developing with AI, building AI applications, implementing platform engineering, and incorporating security best practices. Let’s embark on this learning adventure together and unlock your full potential! 
     
    Work smarter—not harder—with GitHub Copilot 
    Discover how to put Copilot to work and use AI to handle repetitive coding tasks: 
    Accelerate app development by using GitHub Copilot. Use autocompletion and chat features in Copilot to more efficiently author new code features. Plus, get the details on refactoring, debugging, and testing code with GitHub Copilot.  
    Explore AI-enhanced productivity with Visual Studio. Learn how to use Visual Studio in conjunction with GitHub Copilot to streamline your workflow, from navigating your codebase to debugging efficiently. 
    Start the Accelerate app development by using GitHub Copilot Plan. 
     
    Build, test, and deploy AI apps  
    Work with Azure AI Studio, Azure AI services, and GitHub Copilot to build, test, and deploy powerful AI-driven applications: 
    Explore generative AI model selection, evaluation, and multimodal integration with Azure AI Studio. Discover the process of applying the best generative AI models for your needs by using Azure AI Studio. Learn how to benchmark models by using built-in tools, gain the skills to apply multimodal models, and help ensure performance and safety. 
    Build, test, and deploy applications securely with GitHub and Azure. Integrate natural language processing, computer vision, and other cognitive capabilities by using Azure AI services, supported by GitHub integration. Find practical scenarios for working with prebuilt APIs to easily add AI capabilities. 
    Start the Build, test, and deploy applications securely with GitHub and Microsoft Azure Plan. 
     
    Create secure developer platforms  
    As a developer, you have the power to implement, configure, and secure your software delivery lifecycle from code to cloud. Work with secure continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD), workstations, and policy—without sacrificing speed: 
    Discover secure and responsible deployment. Learn to write more secure code, respond swiftly to vulnerabilities in the software supply chain, and adopt best practices that instill responsibility and trust in AI. 
    Apply AI-driven security practices. Gain interactive experience with tools like secret scanning, dependency scanning, and code scanning, all powered by GitHub Advanced Security. Discover how AI-generated code fixes work and how they explain fixes in natural language, making it easier to understand and act on security recommendations. 
    Start the Implement platform engineering with GitHub and Azure Plan. 
     
    Continue the GitHub Universe momentum 
    Even if you didn’t attend GitHub Universe, you can still skill up to make the most of GitHub tools and features in your AI app development:  
    Join the GitHub Universe Devpost Hackathon to engage with the developer community, build innovative AI solutions, and enhance your skills while competing for exciting prizes, including cash rewards and Azure credits. 
    Enroll in the GitHub Universe Microsoft Learn Challenge, and level up your AI development skills. 
    Expand your skills in the AI learning hub on Microsoft Learn. Find detailed skill-building Plans and other resources designed to help AI developers build their proficiency with GitHub Copilot, Azure AI services, Microsoft 365 Copilot, and more.  
     
    Whether you’re looking to develop with AI, build AI applications, simplify your workflows, or incorporate security best practices, Microsoft Learn has you covered. We’re here to help you tackle challenges, boost your productivity, tighten up security, and unleash your creativity in the exciting world of AI-driven development. 
     
    Learn Microsoft AI with our blog series: ‘Get AI ready’  
    Check out other articles from our AI-focused series of blog posts exploring perspectives and opportunities to acquire critical AI skills. 
    Get AI ready: Build skills with Microsoft Learn  
    Get AI ready: Inside the Copilot Learning Hub 
    Get AI ready: Discover AI skill building with Microsoft Training Services Partners 
     
     
  11. AWS
    Stay ahead of the curve in the fast-paced world of tech. This post features the latest Microsoft Learn resources to help you skill up on AI, cloud migration, app development, data analysis, performance, and security on Azure.
    Level up your skills and unlock exciting career opportunities with content highlights covering multiple Azure services. Whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting out, our resources can help fuel your learning journey.
    Through Plans on Microsoft Learn, you can fast-track your AI skill-building goals. The curated content, combined with milestones and automated nudges, helps keep you focused and motivated.
    Develop cutting-edge AI applications for real-world impact
    From healthcare to finance, AI-powered intelligent apps are transforming how we work and live, making processes more efficient, personalized, and innovative.
    Modernize apps for AI readiness with Azure app platform and data solutions. Gain practical skills to create cloud-native AI applications on Azure, with topics covering app design, database development, and AI service integration. Design and deploy cloud-native AI apps with robust back-end databases, while making the most of Azure AI services to enhance your applications.
    Build AI apps with Azure services and best practices. Unlock the full potential of Azure by gaining essential skills in cost management, security, and migration. Dive into various app development options and confidently build resilient data layers with the Microsoft Intelligent Data Platform. Make smart decisions deploying applications on Azure, from managed Kubernetes to fully managed platforms, helping to ensure flexibility and scalability.
    Experience the future of AI with Azure
    AI skills are in high demand and acquiring them can open doors to exciting career opportunities where you can contribute to groundbreaking innovations shaping our future.
    Skill up on generative AI model selection, evaluation, and multimodal integration with Azure AI Studio. Learn to select and apply the best generative AI models by using Azure AI Studio, gaining skills in benchmarking, multimodal model application, and performance evaluation. Make data-driven decisions, enhance customer satisfaction with advanced AI capabilities, and continuously improve your generative AI solutions for optimal performance and safety.
    Implementing data integration and model grounding with Azure AI Studio and Microsoft Fabric. Create advanced AI solutions by grounding models in data, integrating various sources, and learning techniques like Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) and fine-tuning techniques to customize models. Learn to customize models for your specific domain, enhancing your ability to develop sophisticated AI applications by using Azure AI Studio and Microsoft Fabric.
    Evolve with generative AI: Operationalize your Azure gen AI solutions with fine-tuning and prompt flow. Take control of your generative AI solutions by building proficiency with prompt flows, collaborating efficiently, and integrating fine-tuned models. Develop the skills to create, customize, and evolve advanced AI models by using Azure AI services in your preferred environment, allowing for a code-first approach that can keep you ahead of the curve.
    Maximize developer productivity and get results
    By streamlining workflows and automating tasks, developers can focus on innovation and deliver products faster — improving productivity and driving overall business success.
    Accelerate app development by using GitHub Copilot. Learn to boost your coding efficiency and accuracy by using GitHub Copilot, and gain an understanding of techniques for code interpretation, documentation, and feature development. Comprehend complex codebases, efficiently author new features, and accelerate your refactoring, debugging, and testing processes.
    Build, test, and deploy applications securely with GitHub and Microsoft Azure. Discover secure app development by building, testing, and deploying with GitHub Actions, Azure DevOps, and Azure Pipelines. Automate workflows, manage containerized apps, identify vulnerabilities, and apply best practices, as you configure services and create secure, robust applications with ease.
    Get Skilled on GitHub Advanced Security. In this episode of the Azure Essentials Show, we discuss GitHub Advanced Security, and guest Patrick Vuong explains how DevSecOps and AI features enhance application security without hindering productivity.
    Modernize your IT infrastructure for the digital age
    Are your outdated systems hindering growth, increasing costs, and compromising security? By embracing a move to Azure, you can streamline operations, improve efficiency, and unlock new opportunities for innovation.
    Migrate and secure Windows Server workloads on Azure. Discover the process of migrating on-premises Windows Server workloads to Azure, including VMware resources, and learn to use Azure Arc for hybrid environments. Gain the essential skills for Azure administrators, including monitoring, backup, identity management, and resource governance, enabling you to efficiently manage and optimize your cloud infrastructure.
    Migrate and modernize with Azure cloud-scale databases to enable AI. Gain essential skills for database modernization, including migrating SQL Server workloads to Azure SQL and implementing advanced security features. Learn how to collect performance metrics, automate database tasks, implement disaster recovery options, and develop cloud-native applications with Azure SQL Database, enhancing your ability to manage and optimize database systems.
    Unlock the full potential of SAP on Azure
    Don't let legacy systems hold your business back. Modernize your environment on Azure to drive innovation, improve agility, and gain a competitive edge.
    Migrate SAP on Azure for business transformation with VMs and RISE with SAP. Explore the infrastructure needs for successful SAP workload migration and learn to deploy SAP HANA workloads on Azure Virtual Machines, including memory-intensive Mv3 Virtual Machines. Connect SAP workloads to Azure resources, plan on-premises migrations, and help ensure business continuity for SAP solutions on Azure, accelerating your business transformation.
    Microsoft Azure Virtual Training Day: Migrate and Modernize SAP on the Microsoft Cloud. Gain the skills to migrate SAP to Azure and unlock its benefits. Learn how to reduce costs, improve performance, enhance security, and foster collaboration with AI-powered insights.
    Explore Azure networking for SAP RISE. Discover how to connect your Azure networks to your RISE with SAP architecture. Understand the responsibilities of different teams, and explore various connection methods by using Azure VPN peering, virtual network to virtual network, on-premises networks, and the internet.
    Support data-driven decision-making for competitive advantage
    The power of data is transforming how decisions shape success. Maintain your edge by turning raw data into actionable insights and driving smarter strategies.
    Make your data AI ready with Microsoft Fabric. Find out how to ingest, transform, and store data by using Microsoft Fabric lakehouses and data warehouses. In this Plan, learn to expose data with Power BI semantic models, enabling you to handle large-scale data engineering workloads with tools like Spark and Azure Databricks.
    Run data analytics solutions with Azure Databricks. Get all the details on working with Azure Databricks to run large-scale data engineering workloads by using Apache Spark clusters, and learn to implement advanced AI solutions, including language models and RAG. In this Plan, find out how to build efficient data pipelines with Delta Live Tables, implement continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) workflows, and develop comprehensive data analytics solutions, enhancing your ability to process and analyze data in the cloud.
    Become an Azure expert and drive innovation
    Help ensure that your Azure environment is always running at peak performance. Enhance cloud reliability, security, and performance to drive business success.
    Elevate reliability, security, and ongoing performance of Azure and AI projects. Find out how to improve the resiliency, security, and performance of your cloud architecture and workloads, enabling you to effectively manage AI and cloud investments. Gear up with proven frameworks, tools, and best practices to optimize workload performance, enhance reliability, strengthen security, and control cloud costs, ultimately helping to maximize the business value of your cloud environment.
    Get ready to learn even more at Microsoft Ignite
    You’ve got the expertise—are you ready for the next big thing? Microsoft Ignite offers a premier opportunity to explore the latest innovations across Microsoft technology, tools, and solutions. Access interactive learning, expert-led sessions, and product deep dives on topics like Azure, AI, and security. Our annual event provides a platform for networking, skill-building, and discovering new ways to drive business success. We look forward to you joining us online, November 19–21, 2024, or, if you’ve already registered, in person in Chicago, November 18–22, 2024.
  12. AWS

    Fueling the AI economy with digital skills

    Microsoft · %s · %s

    Jeana Jorgensen: Corporate Vice President, Worldwide Learning
    Ryan Currie: Principal PM Manager, Microsoft Learn
     
    In today's rapidly evolving AI landscape, digital skills development for every individual and organization is crucial to their growth and overall success. As Satya Nadella highlighted in his Microsoft Ignite keynote today, Microsoft's mission has always been about creating technology that empowers others to innovate and solve real-world problems. This age of AI is no different. We must equip everyone with the skills to participate and thrive in the AI economy.
    Our commitment to skilling is not just about technology adoption, it's about people development. It's about ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to succeed in a world where using AI will be commonplace and a natural extension of everything we do.  Over the past year, Microsoft has trained and certified over 23 million people in more than 200 countries in digital skills.
    We are inspired by the profound impact our skilling initiatives have on individuals' lives. From helping underserved communities gain access to new opportunities to empowering professionals to advance their careers and drive organizational transformation, each of the stories fuels our purpose and company mission.
     
    Learning AI skills can change lives
    We continue investing in our global skilling initiatives to help people and organizations gain the skills needed to deliver their best work by building confidence in their AI fluency. This is how we help ensure that AI fuels job creation, workplace impact, and greater economic opportunity for everyone.
    Building skills across the AI ecosystem
    Our approach to skilling is expansive, encompassing a wide range of audiences—from government officials, nonprofits, and citizens, to customers, partners, technology professionals, and students. Each of these groups plays a critical role in the AI ecosystem, and we’re committed to providing them with the resources and support they need to succeed.
    Governments, nonprofits, and citizens: Through Microsoft Philanthropies skills programs, we collaborate with governments and nonprofits around the world to deliver community-focused digital skills training. Through these partnerships, our goal is to build a global ecosystem that supports sustainable, long-term skilling efforts, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to thrive in an AI-driven world.
    Organizations and technology professionals. Investing in a skilled workforce can be a game-changer, ensuring that individuals and teams are able to maximize their personal potential while delivering business results. Our skill-building initiatives across Microsoft Learn empower our customers, partners, and technology professionals to harness AI and advanced technologies for innovation and business growth. Through resources like the Microsoft Enterprise Skills Initiative, Microsoft Learn for Organizations, and a worldwide network of Training Services Partners, we help organizations build the necessary workplace skills to drive their business outcomes through an array of learning resources covering topics like AI, cloud computing, and cybersecurity. 
    Business users: We recognize that AI is transforming all roles within an organization, not just those in technical fields. Business users in varying roles are wondering how AI can effectively help them in their everyday work. With training events like Copilot for Microsoft 365 sessions and other targeted skilling resources, we support their individual learning paths to foster innovation, efficiency, and strategic decision making.
    Future workforce: We’re deeply committed to equipping the next generation of learners and technologists with cutting-edge educational programs and resources. By partnering with academic institutions and offering initiatives such as Microsoft Learn for Educators and Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors, we empower educators and students to learn, innovate, and make significant impact in their communities. Our goal is to inspire young minds—from K-12 to early-in-career professionals—to thrive in the future workforce and make significant impact in their communities.
     
    Quote from Kate Behncken, Corporate Vice President and Global Head of Microsoft Philanthropies, about the importance of AI fluency.
    New skilling resources announced at Ignite 
    As we continue to prioritize skilling across various sectors, we’re also focused on enhancing the tools and platforms that deliver these learning experiences. Our commitment to innovation extends beyond traditional training methods to incorporate cutting-edge technologies that make learning more accessible and engaging. In this spirit, we’re excited to introduce new capabilities, content, and credentials that leverage AI to further enhance learning. 
    New capabilities on Microsoft Learn leveraging the power of AI 
    We’re excited to share two new capabilities on Microsoft Learn that introduce the power of AI into the flow of learning: personalized Plans and Ask Learn, our AI assistant. These capabilities are currently available in the United States in English and will expand to additional languages and geographies over the next few months.  
     
    Personalized Plans 
    A Plan on Microsoft Learn is a set of curated content that includes documentation, code samples, modules, learning paths, and more. Plans feature built-in milestones, sharing capabilities, optional automated reminders and reporting to help individuals achieve their learning objectives. Microsoft Learn now leverages AI to enable learners to create Plans that are personalized just for them. Learners can provide individual inputs about their career, learning goals, preferences, and timeline. With this input, Microsoft Learn utilizes AI to find the best training content available and generates a personalized learning Plan.  
    Visit Plans on Microsoft Learn to get started. 
     
    Create a Plan on Microsoft Learn using AI
    Ask Learn 
    We’re excited to provide a new resource for learners that helps answer questions as they learn new topics. Ask Learn, our new AI assistant on Microsoft Learn, enables users to ask questions about the material contained in training modules and get real-time guidance. This capability is now available for Microsoft Azure training content and will be expanding to additional product areas in the coming months. To try this capability, sign in at aka.ms/AskLearn from within the United States and navigate to any Azure module. Then, click ‘Ask Learn’ and enter your question or prompt in the chat to get help.  
     
    AI assistant in Azure training content on Microsoft Learn
    With these new AI capabilities, we’re paving the pathway to our vision of bringing the power of AI into the flow of learning—from identifying what to learn next, to gaining new skills in an efficient and personalized way so that learners are confident and ready to tackle their next project, credential, and career opportunity. 
    Demonstrating technical proficiency with Applied Skills credentials 
    We continue to grow our credentials portfolio with new Microsoft Applied Skills. Applied Skills are verifiable credentials that demonstrate competency in defined skillsets aligned with AI and cloud projects that people need to perform in their everyday jobs. We offer a streamlined experience, so learners earn these credentials at their own pace through free, interactive, lab-based assessments on Microsoft Learn.  
    Our new Applied Skills credentials are focused on AI, Copilot—including GitHub Copilot—and Security and cover scenarios like deploying AI enabled tools, protecting and responding against cyberattacks, and accelerating app development. 
    Available now: 
    Prepare security and compliance to support Microsoft 365 Copilot
    Implement AI models with Microsoft Power Platform AI Builder
    Defend against cyberthreats with Microsoft Defender XDR 
     Coming soon: 
    Create agents with Microsoft Copilot Studio
    Accelerate app development by using GitHub Copilot
    Review all the available Applied Skills credentials. 
    Join us for the Microsoft Learn Challenge | Ignite Edition  
    Building on the technologies showcased at Microsoft Ignite, the Microsoft Learn Challenge | Ignite Edition offers learners a valuable opportunity to develop in-demand skills. The Challenge features eight topics including Azure AI, Copilot, Fabric, and Security. With interactive community events, training offers, and sessions led by experts, learners will develop skills that will set them apart. The Microsoft Learn Challenge is open until January 10, 2025. Register now!  
    We’re in this together   
    AI is reshaping the skills individuals, organizations, and governments need to thrive in this next technology era. We believe investing in people through AI skilling is the key to unlocking their full potential. That’s why we’re so excited about the continuous evolution of our learning initiatives and experiences. And this is just the beginning. We’re excited to do this with you. 
  13. AWS

    Get AI ready: Inside the Copilot Learning Hub

    · %s · %s

    As we were building the Copilot learning hub on Microsoft Learn earlier this year, I realized how much Copilot was changing the way so many people—from my 78-year-old father to my teammates—complete daily tasks. I had first-hand insight into how, as an AI companion, Copilot enables us to be more creative and more efficient across a broad range of activities.
     
    When Microsoft released Copilot in March 2023, our customers had questions. They wanted to know how they could use Copilot to be more productive at work and in their personal lives. They were curious how to use Copilot within Microsoft 365 applications, like Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams, and how to leverage Copilot for developers, data scientists, and security professionals.
     
    To answer these questions and more, we created the Copilot learning hub in May 2024. I recently asked Dona Sarkar and Dan Wahlin, Microsoft Principal Cloud Advocates—and members of the learning hub team—to share some of their stories about creating this powerful resource.
     
    The Copilot learning hub is “designed to meet learners wherever they are along their learning and adoption journey,” said Dona, “from understanding and using copilots, to customizing them with their own data, and, finally, building their own copilot.” The learning hub caters to technical audiences and ensures that each learner accesses content that is tailored to their learning goals. These resources augment the content available on the AI learning hub, which is designed for both technical and non-technical learners.
     
    These goals are grouped into four task-based Microsoft Learn Official Collections—understand, adopt, extend, and build – providing content specific to each stage of the learning journey. Each collection contains a variety of training modules, documentation, and videos. Learners can even access content that is applicable to specific tech roles, such as administrators, data analysts, and developers.
     
    One learner favorite on the hub is the video library, which provides Copilot instructional content and customer use cases. According to Dan Wahlin: “People love to see what's possible and the benefits from using a copilot, so our videos focus on that angle. We show how a copilot makes both personal and work life easier and more productive, how creativity is enhanced, and how people can get started and immediately experience these benefits themselves.”
     
    Dona adds that the videos demonstrate the diverse applications of Copilot across Microsoft products and services. “People share their favorite Copilot use cases and how they leverage Copilot in various scenarios,” she said. “This approach makes the content more relatable and engaging by featuring stories from a wide range of professionals.”
     
    Check out this video to learn how cultural shifts and human factors play a crucial role in the successful implementation of AI technology like Copilot.
     

     
     
    Dona shared her own story about how learning a new programming language has changed now that she can rely on Copilot to assist her with her learning. Recently, she used GitHub Copilot as a coding coach to learn Python after working in C# for 20 years. Dona recalls it took her a full year to learn JavaScript years ago, but only one month to learn Python using Copilot. “That’s a real game changer. Imagine how Copilot can help expert and novice programmers alike gain new skills and do their jobs better,” she said. This is the true promise of the Copilot learning hub—putting expert content to work for you so you can excel using Copilot.
     
    With all the excitement around Copilot, we continue to provide new resources for learners. “We've received great feedback on the Copilot learning hub from learners. They've expressed how they appreciate the comprehensive resources and real-world examples available,” Dan said. “They've also provided us with great feedback that we're consistently applying to continue to take the Copilot learning hub to the next level.”
     
    Erica Woods, Director of Contractor Programs & Philanthropy and Principal at Apex Systems in Tampa, FL, has completed several modules and videos showcased on the learning hub. "I appreciate several things in the Copilot learning hub,” Erica said, “including insights on different ways to apply the technology that are easy to build directly into my day-to-day, the bite-sized chunks the training segments are delivered in, demo-style learning, the fun and conversational style of the videos, and the variety of topics included.” 
     
    So, what’s next? These are some new resources you can expect to see in the coming months, each designed to further streamline your workflow and enhance your Copilot experience:
    In the weeks leading up to Microsoft Ignite, you’ll see new content on the “agentification” of Copilot. What are agents? They are copilots that can act independently, triggered by events—not just conversation—enabling you to automate and orchestrate complex, long-running business processes with less human intervention. For example, an “order taker” copilot can handle the end-to-end order fulfillment process—from taking the order, to processing the order and making intelligent recommendations and substitutions for out-of-stock items, to shipping to the customer. We are also working on stories showcasing how Microsoft customers and partners are helping their customers use Copilot, particularly in specialized industries like finance, manufacturing, and others.  
    Coming up: Get AI ready: Discover AI skill-building with Microsoft Training Services Partners
    In our next Get AI ready blog, discover how Microsoft Training Services Partners (TSPs) are helping organizations worldwide build AI skills and stay competitive. Learn about the benefits of AI-powered tools and services, and how TSPs provide customized training plans to ensure your teams are AI-ready. Read inspiring stories from Sulava and Skillsoft and find out how they are transforming businesses with AI. Don't miss out on this opportunity to upskill your workforce and drive innovation.

     
    Learn Microsoft AI with our blog series: Get AI ready
    Check out other articles from our AI-focused series of blog posts exploring perspectives and opportunities to acquire critical AI skills.   
    Get AI ready: Build skills with Microsoft Learn   
     
    View the full article
  14. AWS
    In this era of rapid technological advancement, data engineering skills are indispensable. This is particularly true as organizations strive to harness the power of AI. Data engineers play a pivotal role in designing and implementing the infrastructure and data processing that enable efficient data analysis. And these are foundational elements for any successful data and AI initiative.
    Data engineering skills are essential for transforming data at scale and for training and deploying AI models. The Microsoft Fabric software as a service (SaaS) model frees up data engineers to focus on crucial tasks, such as data transformation, scalability, and optimization, without worrying about setting up infrastructure—it just works! And Azure Synapse Analytics offers data engineers more control over the infrastructure they need to transform data within a platform as a service (PaaS) framework. 
     
    Announcing the new Fabric Data Engineer Associate Certification
     
    Microsoft Certifications verify world-class technical proficiency for in-demand job roles and are a vital part of our flexible credential portfolio. In keeping with our continued investment, we’re pleased to announce the upcoming Microsoft Certified: Fabric Data Engineer Associate Certification and its related Exam DP-700: Implementing data engineering solutions using Microsoft Fabric (beta), both of which will be available in late October 2024.
     
    Fabric data engineers have subject matter expertise in data loading patterns, data architectures, and orchestration processes. This Certification measures the following Fabric data engineer skills:
    Implementing and managing an analytics solution Ingesting and transforming data Monitoring and optimizing an analytics solution  
    These professionals work closely with analytics engineers, architects, analysts, and administrators to design and deploy data engineering solutions for analytics.
     
    Hone your skills with Microsoft Credentials for analytics and data science
     
    The new Fabric Data Engineer Associate Certification strengthens Microsoft’s credentials portfolio. It helps you to prove your skills for critical roles and key scenarios that involve using Fabric and Azure in areas like data engineering, data analytics, or data science. Depending on your current or desired role, the projects you’re working on, or those you want to work on, there are several suggested combinations of credentials for you to explore.
     
    Certifications validate broad role-based competencies while Microsoft Applied Skills help you demonstrate your capabilities in specific scenarios or workloads. Applied Skills complement the broader skill set validated by Certifications. You can combine these two types of Microsoft Credentials to demonstrate a comprehensive skill set in data and AI.

    Explore the many combinations of Microsoft Credentials to validate your skills in data engineering, data science, and data analytics.
     
    Grow your data engineering skills. If you’ve already earned the Azure Data Engineer Associate Certification (Exam DP-203), consider earning the new Fabric Data Engineer Associate Certification to help future-proof your skills, since Fabric is the next-generation analytics platform. By doing so, you can expand your skills from data engineering with PaaS to SaaS models in the context of Microsoft data services.
     
    To prove your skills for common data projects, like building data lakehouses, Real-Time Intelligence solutions, or data warehouses, consider the relevant Applied Skills, as itemized in the illustration. These credentials are logical complements for the Azure Data Engineer Associate, the new Fabric Data Engineer Associate, the Fabric Analytics Engineer Associate, or the Power BI Data Analyst Associate Certification, since they demonstrate your ability to perform additional skills by using Fabric.
     
    Connect with complementary roles in data projects. End-to-end analytics focused on data engineering and data science supports machine learning model training and AI development. After data engineers ensure that the data is on the platform, they work closely with people in analytics and data science roles, and some skills can be transferable from one role to another. For example, as a data engineer, you can benefit from combining skills proven by the Fabric Analytics Engineer Associate or the Azure Data Scientist Associate Certification, or scenario-specific data science skills validated by Applied Skills. Data analysts can also combine skills to enrich data for analytics, proven by the Fabric Analytics Engineer Associate Certification.
     
    Start now to help future-proof your data engineering skills
     
    The new Exam DP-700 will be available in late October 2024, but you can start building your skills now as you prepare to take the exam and earn the Certification:
    See what to expect on the exam and explore potential topics it covers in our Exam DP-700 study guide. Work through the Prepare for the Fabric Data Engineer Certification Official Collection of curated content to help you get ready. Explore the capabilities of Fabric, with the Get started with Microsoft Fabric learning path. Join the Microsoft Learn Learning Room: Microsoft Fabric Café, and stay updated with the latest trends, features, and updates in Microsoft Fabric. Read the European Microsoft Fabric Community Conference (FabCon) 2024 announcements.  
    Build your technical skills for any role or project
     
    No matter what your current or desired role, we have the resources and offerings you need to build and prove your technical skills. Check out the many options on Microsoft Learn.
     
    And stay tuned for the Fabric Data Engineer Associate Certification and Exam DP-700: Implementing data engineering solutions using Microsoft Fabric (beta)—available in late October 2024—and get ready to prove your data engineering skills in Fabric.
    View the full article
  15. AWS

    Skill up on Copilot and Microsoft 365

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    Welcome to our new blog series designed to help you skill up on Copilot and Microsoft 365 technologies. We hope you will make this your go-to source for the latest updates, resources, and opportunities in technical skill building for Copilot and Microsoft 365.
     
    Start your Copilot journey with these essential resources:
     
    Copilot Lab. If you or your coworkers are just getting started with Copilot, Copilot Lab is the best place to begin the journey. It includes helpful introductory videos, guidance on the art of prompting, practical everyday uses for Copilot, and more. Copilot Success Kit and User Enablement Toolkit. Drive Copilot adoption, and provide employees at your organization with the guidance and resources they need to become daily Copilot users. The Copilot Success Kit and User Enablement Toolkit provide new customizable email templates, end-user trainings, license assignment guidance, and manager resources. Microsoft Copilot Scenario Library. Explore top use cases and day-in-the-life scenarios for using Copilot across your organization. The Copilot Scenario Library lets you view scenarios by role or by use case so you can discover quick ways to start using Copilot in your daily work. “What’s new in Copilot” blog series. In this monthly series, we highlight new features and enhancements in Copilot for Microsoft 365 to help administrators stay up to date on this helpful technology so users can be more productive and efficient in the apps they use every day.  
    Catch up on Copilot content for small and medium-sized organizations
     
    Copilot can help organizations of all sizes boost efficiency and streamline workflows. The following resources are especially helpful for small- and medium-sized organizations:
     
    Copilot Success Kit for Small and Medium Business. We're pleased to announce a new Copilot Success Kit specifically designed for customers with Microsoft 365 Business licenses. The kit provides end-to-end guidance on implementing Copilot, including technical readiness and user enablement strategies. Grow Your Business with Copilot for Microsoft 365. If you're looking to get inspired by how other businesses are using Copilot, check out this new monthly series. In each post, the team features a customer that’s successfully putting Copilot to work to go above and beyond in their industry. The series also covers the latest product enhancements, what they mean for organizations, and how you can best take advantage of them to meet your organization’s unique needs.  
    Explore the latest learning paths on Microsoft Learn
     
    The following learning paths on Microsoft Learn offer helpful skill-building opportunities for learners who want to make the most of Copilot for Microsoft 365:
     
    Extend Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365 with Copilot Studio. Find out how to create Copilot Studio actions that extend the knowledge and capabilities of Copilot for Microsoft 365 using external data, tailored conversations, automated flows, and custom prompts. Build connectors and plugins for Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365. Discover extensibility options available for Copilot for Microsoft 365. Copilot Foundations. Explore options for adopting, using, and creating copilots. Create copilots with Microsoft Copilot Studio. Get started creating copilots with Microsoft Copilot Studio. Extend and manage Microsoft Copilot Studio copilots. After you've mastered the basics of building bots in Copilot Studio, focus on bot enhancements and management. Develop your own custom copilots with Azure AI Studio. Learn how to build generative AI applications, like custom copilots that use language models and prompt flow to provide value to your users. Enhance endpoint security with Microsoft Intune and Microsoft Copilot for Security. Uncover the essentials of Intune, advanced threat detection and response with Copilot for Security, and how to optimize the integration between Intune and Copilot.  
    Watch technical videos on Microsoft Mechanics
     
    Microsoft Mechanics is an official video series from Microsoft designed for IT pros, solution architects, developers, tech enthusiasts, and others. Check out these videos to learn how to streamline the work you do every day:
     
    How to get ready for Copilot for Microsoft 365 faster | New Restricted SharePoint Search option. Jeremy Chapman of Microsoft demonstrates how to roll out Copilot for Microsoft 365 at scale in three quick steps, including preparing your data for search, apps, and prerequisites, so you can connect to Copilot services. He also covers the fastest method for giving your teams access to Copilot services. Get Copilot responses based on your own files (no copy/paste). Mary Pasch from the Copilot platform team at Microsoft explains how to author prompts that retrieve information on your behalf, add context to your prompts without copy/paste, and get personalized responses back that are tailored to the app you're using—whether it's Word, PowerPoint, or others. Build your own copilot! New Microsoft Copilot extensions explained. Abram Jackson, Microsoft 365 Principal Product Manager, shows you new options for building Copilot extensions, whether you want to create your own custom copilot experiences prioritizing specific knowledge, add read/write integrations to external services with plugins, extend Microsoft Graph beyond Microsoft 365 with connectors, or mix and match all three. 
     
     
    Explore additional Copilot resources for developers
     
    The following offerings are especially for developers and provide practical resources and opportunities to take advantage of the latest technology:
     
    Microsoft 365 Developer Center. We’ve updated the Microsoft 365 Developer Center with the Copilot extensions, resources, and tools announced at Microsoft Build in May 2024. Extend Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365. New guidance on Microsoft Learn highlights building your own copilots, extending Copilot for your scenario, adding knowledge and actions using Copilot Studio and in code, and much more. Your extensibility options for Microsoft 365 Copilot. This new documentation can help streamline your extensibility journey with Copilot. Microsoft Build: Microsoft 365 Developer video series. These practical videos cover Copilot experiences, including a deep dive on plugins, a developer’s guide to customizing Copilot, and building your own Copilot, among others.  
    Attend an upcoming technical skill-building event
     
    Interactive training can help you learn to put the latest technology to work right away. The following events provide opportunities to build your skills in Microsoft Loop, Copilot, and more:
     
    Microsoft Loop | Live, Five-Part Learning Series. In this series that runs from August 14 through September 11, 2024, get a demo of Microsoft Loop in action, learn about upcoming roadmap items, and find out about Copilot and AI innovations. Ask questions about this next-generation co-creation experience, get timesaving tips and tricks, and provide direct feedback to the Microsoft Loop product team. Find out more about Microsoft Loop | Live, Five-Part Learning Series, register for the remaining events, and watch past sessions on demand. Copilot for Microsoft 365 QuickStart Training. Make the most of our new interactive workshop with live support to enhance your Copilot skills. Explore real-world scenarios for various departments and industries. Use your own Copilot license to follow along with the prompt training and other demos. In this workshop, which is offered in several languages, you can expect: A quick understanding of how Copilot for Microsoft 365 works.  Interactive training and prompting exercises to use Copilot and immediately generate results in Outlook, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint—using your own company data. Demonstrations of how other users are using Copilot across support, human resources, marketing, sales, and other disciplines. The opportunity to ask questions of an expert facilitator.  
    This session can help you increase your productivity and creativity in the long run and reduce manual, repetitive efforts, freeing up time for higher-value work. To attend this training and follow along with the content, you must have a Copilot license. Find all the details and register for Copilot for Microsoft 365 QuickStart Training.
     
    Microsoft Ignite. Get ready to achieve more with the power of AI and the Microsoft Cloud. Join us in Chicago, November 18–22, 2024, to discover solutions that can help you modernize and manage your own intelligent apps, safeguard your business and data, accelerate productivity, and connect with partners as you grow your community. To get notified when registration opens, sign up for the Microsoft Ignite email list. European SharePoint Conference 2024. Join other tech enthusiasts from around the globe at ESPC24 in Stockholm, Sweden, December 2–5, 2024. Learn expert AI strategies to boost your workflow and insights to excel in the evolving tech world. Register for ESPC24.  
    Catch up on recent events
     
    If you missed Microsoft Build 2024 or the Microsoft 365 Community Conference, you can still learn about the event, get announcement details, and watch sessions on demand:
     
    Microsoft Build 2024. At Microsoft Build, our annual flagship event for developers and decision makers, we introduced new ways to optimize and personalize the Copilot experience, including new agent capabilities, Team Copilot, custom copilots created from SharePoint, new Copilot extensions, and Copilot connectors in Copilot Studio. We also unlocked a new era of innovation with Windows Copilot Runtime and Copilot+ PCs. Microsoft 365 Community Conference 2024. This community event was dedicated to learning, professional development, and networking opportunities for forward-thinking professionals looking to build their skills in the era of AI. The conference highlighted innovations for end users, developers, and IT across Microsoft Copilot and Copilot for Microsoft 365, including uses in Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, Microsoft Viva, and more. Recordings are available on demand for the conference sessions, including “The Age of Copilots,” “Transforming Communications with AI,” “How Copilot for Microsoft 365 Works,” and much more. View the full article
  16. AWS

    Microsoft's Secure Future Initiative

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    Build a security-first organization with up-to-date cybersecurity skills
     
    Like others around the globe, your organization is likely dealing with an ever-increasing number of cyberthreats and you need skilled team members to help address them. According to the World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report 2023, cybersecurity is near the top of the list of the fastest-growing job roles. There’s an increasing need for professionals with cybersecurity skills—a need that will continue to grow in the future. In the world of business today, every member of every team must be ready to address cyberthreats.
    At Microsoft, one of the ways that we help counter these threats is to promote a security-first culture—security above all else. We continuously apply what we’ve learned from security incidents to improve our methods and practices. To that end, we’ve created the Microsoft Secure Future Initiative (SFI), our commitment to advance the way we design, build, test, and operate our technology so our solutions can meet the highest possible security standards.
     
    Empower your workforce to counter cyberthreats
    Strengthening your organization’s cybersecurity posture and supporting a security-first culture involves upskilling across all roles to handle cyberthreats. Get started on Microsoft Learn for Organizations, where you can find the latest team training resources and opportunities, including cybersecurity training to build skills that your teams can put to work right away. Check out the self-paced, on-demand, Microsoft Official Plans highlighted there, including:
    Learning for Microsoft cybersecurity architects Learning for Microsoft data security administrators Learning for Microsoft identity and access administrators Learning for Microsoft security operations analysts Microsoft Security for business leaders and CISOs  
    Plus, Microsoft Learn for Organizations offers a variety of practical insights, inspiring success stories, and additional resources for teams that are skilling up to keep pace with fast-evolving technologies and close the skills gap.
     
    Join us for an important cybersecurity skills webinar
    Jump-start a skill-building plan to help your organization address threats to your data, assets, systems, and more. Join us online for the Microsoft Secure Future Initiative Master Class: Red vs. blue skills to counter cyberthreats, on September 25, 2024, from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM Pacific Time, a webinar that focuses on monitoring and detecting threats and accelerating remediation—all part of the SFI pillars. In this important webinar, you can:
    Learn from experts. Hear from Microsoft Security experts, along with Microsoft Certified Trainers from our Training Services Partner NetCom Learning. Experience a red versus blue team demonstration. See Microsoft Security solutions, like Microsoft Sentinel, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, and Defender XDR in action through real-world cyberattack scenarios. Discover skills to help secure your organization. Explore learning paths to upskill your team and protect against evolving cyberthreats. Join a live Q&A with experts. Get answers to your security training questions from some of the best in the industry. Reserve your spot for this webinar, and let’s build a more secure future together!
     
    View the full article
  17. AWS
    At Microsoft Learn, we continually review and evolve our portfolio of Microsoft Certifications to help learners around the world stay up to date with the latest technologies in our fast-changing digital world, especially as AI skills become increasingly important in the workplace. Microsoft Certifications are globally recognized credentials that validate your skills for various job roles using these technologies.
     
    According to the 2023 Skillsoft IT Skills & Salary report, 62% of those who earned certifications felt that the quality of their work improved. They’re also more engaged at work (47%) and perform their duties faster (45%). Whether you’re a student, a professional, or someone changing careers, earning a Microsoft Certification can help you accomplish your goals and demonstrate your commitment to continuous learning and improvement. This achievement can also help boost your confidence and credibility at work as you showcase your expertise to employers and customers.
     
    What’s changing?
    We regularly update our exam content, format, and delivery to help ensure that our exams are aligned with industry standards and best practices. In recent years, we’ve made significant investments in developing and launching new exams and certifications for critical roles that use Microsoft apps and services, like Azure, Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, and Microsoft Power Platform.
     
    We also review and adjust exam prices to help maintain the quality and value of our Certification program. As a result, effective November 1, 2024, Microsoft is updating the retail prices for its Certification exams to reflect the current market conditions and the value of the Certifications. Our goal is to make the exam pricing simpler and more consistent across geographies while still offering a fair and affordable value proposition for our Certification candidates.
     
    What are the new prices?
    The new retail prices for Certification exams vary depending on the country or region where you take the exam. For most areas, there will be no change in the price. For some areas, the price will decrease to make the exams more affordable. In a few areas, the price will increase to align with global and regional standards. To find the updated price of the exams in your area, check out the full list of new prices for Microsoft Certifications by country or region.
     
    How does this news affect you?
    If you’re planning to take a Microsoft Certification exam, you can register for and take the exam at the current price until October 31, 2024. If you register to take the exam on or after November 1, 2024, you’ll pay the updated price. Remember, in many countries and regions, the retail price is not changing and might even be decreasing. For more information on how to register and pay for your exam, go to the Microsoft Certification exam policies and FAQs.
     
    To prepare for the Certification exam, make the most of the many resources and opportunities available on Microsoft Learn, such as free self-paced training, along with exam readiness resources, like Practice Assessments, exam prep videos, and more. You can also enroll in instructor-led training with Microsoft Training Services Partners or join the Microsoft Learn Community to prepare with peers and colleagues.
     
    Earn a Microsoft Certification today
    Microsoft Certification exams are more than just a test of your knowledge. They demonstrate your commitment, passion, and excellence in the IT industry. Earning a Certification is an investment in your professional life that can pay off in many ways, helping you build your skills and enhance your career. A Certification can boost your career prospects, improve your professional credibility, and unlock new opportunities for growth and success. Invest in your future and earn a certification today!
    View the full article
  18. AWS
    We’re looking for Dynamics 365 customer experience analysts to take our new beta exam. Are you responsible for configuring, customizing, and expanding the functionality of Dynamics 365 Sales to create business solutions that support, automate, and accelerate your organization’s sales process? Do you use your knowledge of customer experience capabilities in Dynamics 365 Sales and Microsoft Power Platform to configure Dynamics 365 Sales standard and premium features, implement collaboration features, and configure the security model? Additional helpful qualifications include the ability to perform Dynamics 365 Sales customizations, extend Dynamics 365 Sales with Microsoft Power Platform, and deploy the Dynamics 365 App for Outlook.  
     
    If this is your skill set, we have a new Certification for you. The Microsoft Certified: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Experience Analyst Associate Certification validates your expertise in this area and offers you the opportunity to prove your skills. To earn this Certification, pass Exam MB-280: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Experience Analyst, currently in beta. 
     
    Is this the right Certification for you?  
    As a customer experience analyst, you’re responsible for participating in Dynamics 365 Sales implementations, understanding your organization’s sales process, and demonstrating the capabilities of Dynamics 365 Customer Insights - Data and Dynamics 365 Customer Insights - Journeys. You have experience configuring model-driven apps in Power Apps. You understand accounts, contacts, and activities; leads and opportunities; the components of model-driven apps, such as forms, views, charts, and dashboards; model-driven app personal settings; and Dataverse, including tables, columns, and relationships. Plus, you have experience working with Dataverse solutions and you’re familiar with Power Automate cloud flow concepts, such as connectors, triggers, and actions. Additionally, you have an understanding of the Dataverse security model and features, including business units, security roles, and row ownership and sharing. 
     
    Ready to prove your skills? 
    Take advantage of the discounted beta exam offer. The first 300 people who take Exam MB-280 (beta) on or before September 13, 2024, can get 80 percent off market price. 
     
    To receive the discount, when you register for the exam and are prompted for payment, use code MB280LMhiking. This is not a private access code. The seats are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. As noted, you must take the exam on or before September 13, 2024. Please note that this beta exam is not available in Turkey, Pakistan, India, or China. 
     
    Get ready to take Exam MB-280 (beta): 
    Review the Exam MB-280 (beta) exam page for details. The Exam MB-280 study guide alerts you to key topics covered on the exam.  Skill up with the Microsoft Learn Official Collection Level Up: Dynamics 365 Customer Experience Analyst.  Want even more in-depth training? Connect with Microsoft Training Services Partner in your area for in-person offerings.  Need other preparation ideas? Check out my blog post Just How Does One Prepare for Beta Exams?  Read about our new and improved exam UI in Reimagining the Microsoft Certification exam UI experience.   
    Did you know that you can take any role-based exam online? Online delivered exams—taken from your home or office—can be less hassle, less stress, and even less worry than traveling to a test center, especially if you’re adequately prepared for what to expect. To find out more, read my blog post Online proctored exams: What to expect and how to prepare. 
     
    The rescore process starts on the day an exam goes live, and final scores for beta exams are released approximately 10 days after that. For details on the timing of beta exam rescoring and results, check out my post Creating high-quality exams: The path from beta to live. 
     
    Ready to get started? 
    Remember, the number of spots is limited to the first 300 candidates taking Exam MB-280 (beta) on or before September 13, 2024.  
     
    Related resources 
    Evolving Microsoft Credentials for Dynamics 365  Dynamics 365 Sales documentation on Microsoft Learn  Dynamics 365 Customer Insights documentation on Microsoft Learn   
     
    View the full article
  19. AWS
    Are you hoping to learn new technical skills to excel in your current job or prepare for a new career? Is your organization looking to upskill employees in AI and other critical technologies? Microsoft Learn’s 30 Day Plans are a great option for skilling up quickly in a variety of specific fields and topics, including AI, data science, security, and more. As AI becomes increasingly embedded in all sectors of the economy, expanding your portfolio of skills is a smart investment. In fact, professionals with AI skills earn 21% more on average than those without. 
     
    Curated by Microsoft subject matter experts, 30 Day Plans are designed to be completed in one month or less so you can reach your learning goals sooner. Each Plan is also aligned to a Microsoft Certification exam or Microsoft Applied Skills assessment so you can prove your expertise by earning a verified Microsoft Credential.    
     
    With carefully designed learning outcomes, clear milestones, and automated nudges, 30 Day Plans help keep you focused and on track. That way, your next step is always clear and your goal attainable. Plus, you can pursue the training whenever, wherever, and however works best for you! 
     
    30 Day Plan topics cover an array of subjects, including: 
    AI: Azure AI Engineer, Azure AI Language, Copilot for Microsoft 365  Security: Security Operations Analyst, Get AI-Ready with Microsoft 365 Admin  Data: Azure Data Fundamentals, Make Your Data AI Ready with Microsoft Fabric    
    Get a jump-start on your individual or organizational technical skilling goals with 30 Day Plans on Microsoft Learn. Our skill-specific learning content is ready to go anytime you are.   
    Try a 30 Day Plan 
    Learn more about Plans on Microsoft Learn 
    View the full article