Microsoft has been a proponent for low-code solutions in recent years, even releasing a new programming langauge for that very purpose. Today, the tech giant has unveiled certifications through a newly launched platform focused on low-code learning, in collaboration with the Project Management Institute - a not-for-profit organization based in the United States.
Targeting university students with the aim of improving their employability in the future, the platform - dubbed the Power Platform University Hub - offers a learning journey comprising over a dozen courses. The topics which will be covered include low-code development, analytics tools, business intelligence, and more. Technical knowledge that is required to build apps, data visualizations, chat bots, websites, and more via low-code development will be taught over the course of this curriculum.
Sam Sibley, Global Head of Citizen Developer at PMI, remarked on the teamup in the following way:
"The entire citizen development movement is a catalyst for faster change and is revolutionizing the way we work, as well as the way we are able to create social impact. Which is why we are excited to work with Microsoft to help enable students across the globe with the skills they need to thrive, both in the workplace and when impacting social change."
Two certifications will be achievable for students who complete the courses - namely, the "PMI Citizen Developer Practitioner Micro-Credential" and the "PL-100 Microsoft Power Platform App Maker". So far, 28 universities and 1500 students have participated in a pilot program which addresses the same concerns as what the University Hub will be targeting. Interested institutions can sign up here by having a faculty member complete the onboarding process.