St Louis IT Jobs Training
Residents preparing for St Louis IT jobs and other technology-centric positions throughout Missouri are getting some free help.
Job seekers throughout St. Louis and Missouri are taking advantage of free technology education provided to residents through the Microsoft Elevate America program, a partnership between the state and Microsoft.
The Missouri Department of Economic Development recently announced that only four weeks after the launch of the program, more than 10,000 people have applied to receive a voucher for e-learning and certification programs. There are a total of 24,750 vouchers available.
"The world has gone digital, and it's vital that Missourians have the knowledge and skills to land and keep the jobs of tomorrow," Gov. Jay Nixon said. "For the folks seeking a new job or looking to brush up their skills, Elevate America will be a tremendous resource, and we are pleased by the significant response from those applying to receive this training."
Through the Microsoft Elevate America program, residents have access to free, specialized e-learning programs for various Microsoft programs and platforms, such as Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access Windows Server and Microsoft Exchange Server.
The DED's Division of Workforce Development is responsible for administering the program, which takes place online, making it easy to access from home, school or the office.
"These specialized e-learning courses for various Microsoft programs and platforms will help Missourians enhance their technological literacy," DED Director David Kerr said. "Having such a skill is a critical requirement when competing for jobs in an increasingly global economy."
Added technology skills will help residents compete for jobs in Missouri's improving economy. During October, the state saw its unemployment rate decrease from 9.5 percent to 9.3 percent, which was lower than the national unemployment rate at the time of 10.2 percent.
The state had a total non-farm employment of 2,714,500 workers during October, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is up from 2,710,500 workers during September, but a 2.8 percent decrease from last year.
The economy in St. Louis also has been improving, as the city saw its unemployment rate decrease from 9.9 percent to 9.8 percent during October. The city had a total non-farm employment of 1,319,800 workers, up from 1,317,100 workers during September, but a 3.2 percent decrease from last year.