Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 39, Number 12, 1 December 2022 — OHA Collaborates With Microsoft to Offer Free IT Certifications [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OHA Collaborates With Microsoft to Offer Free IT Certifications

ByJason Lees The Ofhce of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) and Mierosoft are teaming up to offer free Microsoft certification to OHA beneficiaries in an effort to bring them into Hawai'i's Information Technology (IT) industry. On Oct. 31, OHA held its first ever Tech Career Day. Thirty-five participants attended, either virtually or in-person, to learn about tech career opportunities, and to hear from prominent figures in Hawai'i's private IT sector, from loeal government IT ofhcials, as well as from a Microsoft representative. The overall message? The tech industry in Hawai'i is hiring and Native Hawaiians - who may not have previously considered pursuing a career in tech - ean take advantage of this training for free. "Today's Tech Career Day is just the beginning of this relationship," says OHA Communications Director Aliee Silbanuz. "When we put out the kāhea to let people know that we were going to be hosting a cohort for folks

interested in pursuing IT certifications we got a great response from people who were ready for a career change, young people ready to pursue careers in IT, and those wanting to explore an IT career path and take advantage of the no-cost certifications." When he started working with the Hawai'i team, Mie-

rosoft Account Technology Strategist Ben LaBelle noted the laek of Microsoft IT technicians in Hawai'i. "It was pretty obvious that we didn't have the resources to get projects moving. So where's a plaee we ean really target, potentially make an impact, and make people's lives better?" "Microsoft has the initiative to conduct trainings," said OHA IT Director Tiger Hu Li. "That's a great opportunity and meets an immediate need so I said, 'Hey, let's do it!' There are so many career paths you ean pursue - data scientist, programmer, information security ofhcer - if you have employable IT skills." The trainings align to OHA's strategic directions of eeonomie stability and educational pathways. The goal is to have more Native Hawaiians earn certifications in IT. Teri-Lin Kim Seu was part of the first cohort of 35 students. "I've been looking at how to definitely put a mark on my resume. I do have some tech background and I want to boost it, so having this opportunity to take some of these courses for free is an opportunity you don't often SEE FREE IT CERTIFICATI0N 0N PAGE 7

Some of the in-person porticiponts of the first II certificotion cohort olong with II professionals from Microsoft and OHA, and OHA leadership ot the launeh event ot OHA headquarters in Honolulu. - ?hoto: Joshua Koh

FREEITCERTIFICATIONS

Continued from page 5 eome by." World Wide Technology Regional Director Fred Watson shared that his career in IT lifted him out of less fortunate means. "I was born in difhcult circumstances - a single mother without a high school diploma. We lived in puhlie housing. Life was a struggle. Ihen I got akamai and discovered I had a passion for computers. Because I had that passion, everything opened up for me. College was a joy. I graduated with honors, had a ton of job opportunities, and got into a great global computer company. That began my journey." "This is an excellent role for OHA - to act as a facilitator that helps to foster these relationships, advance careers and, ultimately, advance eeonomie stability for the students and their 'ohana," Silbanuz said. ■ Follow OHA on social media or sign-upfor e-blasts at www.oha.org/connect to receive updates onfuture free Microsoft trainings.