Microsoft partners ITE to open its first Asian Datacentre Academy (DCA) in Singapore in a five-year commitment to empowering some 300 ITE students with a focus on building applied data centre skills. The DCA is an extension of Microsoft’s commitment to empowering ITE students to thrive in a growing ICT sector.
ITE will offer DCA curriculum to students across all three ITE colleges from the Work-Study Diploma programmes in Data Centre Infrastructure & Operation, Mechanical & Electrical Services Supervision, and Logistics & Supply Chain Management from January 2023. Students can acquire knowledge and earn a Certificate of Completion or a Diploma.
The DCA will offer data centre skills integration into ITE’s existing technical and professional development track, provide a sustainable learning lab for hands-on instructional training, and offer mentorship and professional development resources. Through ITE’s Work Study Diploma programme, Microsoft will offer scholarships to cover tuition costs for up to 20 ITE students who are keen on a future in the data centre industry. Upon completion of their academic programme, selected scholars will receive an opportunity to interview for open data centre positions at Microsoft in Singapore.
These ITE students will also be one of the first in Singapore to use servers at their Data centre lab at ITE College East, which were donated by the Microsoft Circular Center in Singapore. The first of its kind in Asia, the Microsoft Circular Center enables the reuse and repurpose of decommissioned cloud computing hardware from Microsoft’s data centres. The global programme aims to reuse 90 percent of cloud computing hardware assets by 2025. Students will be able to practice skills such as cable installations, datacenter physical infrastructure management, parts replacement, physical hardware troubleshooting, and hardware and network diagnostics.
Microsoft employees will also provide support and mentorship guidance through regular engagement with DCA participants and graduates. This will give students workplace and career coaching from industry experts and provide them with an opportunity to strengthen interview and resume-building skills.
Microsoft has 12 Datacentre Academy locations globally, partnering select education partners to provide guidance on curriculum; donations of servers, laptops and data centre equipment for labs; and opportunities for mentorship and work experience in Microsoft data centres.
