Microsoft explains the platform brings online and offline blended learning and teaching tools. The focus of Project Sangam will be connecting skills learning programs with relevant jobs. To achieve this, the platform leverages LinkedIn’s job search capabilities. India has been chosen for Project Sangam because there is a widening skill gap in the country. Nadella described the platform as “simple yet powerful” and expanded on why it is important for Indian customers: “India’s challenge is to take any college graduate and realise their potential on what they are capable of instead of which college they studied from.”
By using Microsoft’s new platform, users can sign up for training for skills that match their needs. Once training is complete, it is possible to search for jobs on LinkedIn, based on the skills acquired. It is also possible to sign in to the service by using an Aadhaar identity. Aadhaar is a controversial initiative created by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), the requirement assigns a 12-digit number to all Indian citizens. Microsoft wants the project to bolster the skills ecosystem in India and could be a benefit to millions of people. One of the key points of the project is that it is the first integration of LinkedIn with Microsoft’s own technology. The company acquired the enterprise social network in a $26 billion deal last year.
Skype Lite at Future Decoded
Nadella had a busy day at Future Decoded 2017. The CEO also took the wrapper off Skype Lite, a new version of Microsoft’s telecommunications platform. Skype Lite is a version of the service that can be used in areas where connectivity bandwidth is low. This allows customers to save money and keep connected despite low connection speeds. Microsoft says the service will function with 2G and is also compatible with Aadhaar.
