Today, Microsoft presented “Ambizione Italia,” an ecosystem project that aims to accelerate digital transformation in Italy by leveraging the opportunities provided by artificial intelligence and advanced education. The initiative is based on a vast programme for education, updating and lifelong learning of competences, in line with the new technological trends and the demands of the labour market. The aim is to contribute to employment and the advancement of the country.

The Adecco Group, LinkedIn, Invitalia, Cariplo Factory and the Fondazione Mondo Digitale are the partners with which Microsoft intends to involve over 2 million young Italian men and women, students, NEETs and professionals by 2020, thereby training over 500,000 individuals and certifying 50,000 professional figures. The project is based on an open platform with contributions coming from various parties that will merge in “Ambizione Italia” over the course of the next few months.

In particular, Microsoft will allocate 100 million euro for education in digital skills, while The Adecco Group will provide 6 million euro for the development of Phyd, the new platform for professional education based on the skills of the future

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By 2030, the most popular professional activities will require greater cognitive and emotional skills, such as collaboration problem-solving, critical thinking and creativity. In this context, Microsoft renews its collaboration with the Fondazione Mondo Digitale for Project Eskills4change to allow young men and women to acquire competences that will help them solve problems creatively, through an experiential approach and the use of digital technology.

During the current school year, the project will involve 10,000 young men and women aged 15-24 in 10 Italian Regions with theoretical classes, labs, hackathons and creativity marathons. Moreover, the initiative will involve an increasing number of teachers and students to grasp the potential of digital tools for mark competitiveness.

During the presentation of “Ambizione Italia,” three projects were presented that have distinguished themselves for their innovative potential.

The students at IIS Loi in Nettuno developed an application to simplify the active participation of citizens in council activities and services and used digital manufacturing tools to produce an information totem that can be used with digital devices.

The Istituto Tecnico G. Marconi in Campobasso designed an intelligent Arduino-based cover for smartphones: in emergencies, all one has to do is grasp it tightly and it will send out a geo-localised emergency message.

Students at the Liceo Scientifico Spallanzani in Tivoli focused on environmental risk and designed an ecological robot that can be used to detect noxious substances in the air.

“We are once again working together with Microsoft thanks to Programme Eskills4Change which trains youth for the professions of the future. Self-enterprise courses, hackathons, and coding and digital manufacturing labs help young men and women to grasp the potential of digital tools, even in terms of accessibility, social inclusion and insertion into the working world. In particular, we focus on youth in southern Italy and women to provide them with opportunities for growth and development to everyone,” explains Mirta Michilli, Director General of the Fondazione Mondo Digitale.