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Microsoft DreamSpark aims at plugging the global skills gap.

By Andrew Redfern @ 19th February 2008 10:46 am

Microsoft have announced an initiative to give free developer software tools to sutdents in order to addressing what the company sees as a growing IT skills shortage in the global workforce. They make a pretty interesting point that that the self-built nature of people’s blogs, social networking site and internet presence in genernal means that “Yesterday’s ‘user’ is today’s ‘creator’”

Joe Wilson, Senior Director of Academic Initiatives (for Developer and Platform Evangelism) at Microsoft outlined details of the scheme in an interview with the corporation’s PressPass news service :

Microsoft DreamSpark is a community-based program to provide students with free access to Microsoft’s industry-leading software development, gaming and design tools. Working with schools, governments, partners and student organizations worldwide, we will be making this available starting today in Belgium, China, Finland, France, Germany, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Other countries will come online over the next year, as well as expanding the program to include high school students. The program is open to all students at education institutions worldwide, though those studying science, technology, engineering and math disciplines (STEM-D) are expected to be the first to jump on it. All eligible students need is access to a computer with an internet connection to download the products, as well as free access keys at http://channel8.msdn.com.

We call it DreamSpark because every great technology breakthrough starts life as someone’s dream or idea. We want to make sure that students have the tools to spark their own dreams plus the power to turn them into reality.

We believe students can do amazing things with technology if given access to the right tools. This is a way to make sure that they have what they need to test the boundaries of what today’s technology can do and also prepare for a great career at the same time.

The added benefit to industry is that we’re addressing one of the toughest challenges confronting employers today: attracting and developing qualified IT professionals. We’re trying to help close this gap by giving students globally the opportunity to get the tools they’ll need after they graduate and jump-start their careers to land that first job.

Making sure there is a strong pipeline of technically skilled students is key to the future of the global economy. The ability to create new software and services will be an essential part of the skill set of the next generation of workers. Technology is one of the chief drivers pushing worldwide economic development and job creation.

As well as giving students important exposure to the tools they can expect to use in the workplace, DreamSpark is about putting professional-level tools in the hands of students to amplify the impact of their studies and fire up their imaginations about the power of technology.

Also featured is this interview Channel8 did with Bill Gates :

Bill Gates talks about Free Software, Students, and Technology

The tools they are propose making available are :

Microsoft developer tools.

Visual Studio 2005 Professional Edition
Visual Studio 2008 Professional Edition
XNA Game Studio 2.0
12-month free Academic membership in the XNA Creators Club

Microsoft designer tools.

Expression Studio, including :

Expression Web
Expression Blend
Expression Design
Expression Media

Microsoft platform resources.

SQL Server 2005 Developer Edition
Windows Server, Standard Edition

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