Mississippi Public Broadcasting along with The Bean Path, the City of Jackson, and The Jackson Resource Center collaborated with Microsoft TechSpark, a program of Microsoft Philanthropies, to launch Skill-IT-Thon to help job seekers, professionals, and students gain new skills for in-demand roles in the digital economy. The Skill-IT-Thon Challenge began on May 1 and ended on June 30.
On Wednesday, July 19, 2023, from 11:00 a.m. until 11:30 a.m., the Skill-IT-Thon Challenge winners were officially announced during the Skill-IT-Thon Challenge Awards Ceremony at Mississippi Public Broadcasting located at 3825 Ridgewood Rd. Jackson, MS. After weeks of taking courses, winners from all three categories were announced. The 1st place winners earned the $1,500 cash prize, the 2nd place winners earned the $1,000 cash prize, the 3rd place winners earned the $600 cash prize, and the 4th place winners earned the $250 cash prize. Twelve winners received a participation certificate, awarded cash prize check, kudos from MPB’s Education Services Department, initiative partners, and a crowd of well-wishers. Kristen Windham, Policy Advisor for the Office of Governor Tate Reeves, was the guest speaker for the ceremony and assisted in handing out the winner certificates.
The digital skills initiative was designed to increase economic growth across the state of Mississippi by offering free industry-endorsed, Microsoft certificates. Job seekers and those wishing to advance to higher-paying positions were able to reskill and upskill for more in-demand roles in a digitally focused economy. For example, the Digital Literacy and Productivity learning pathway helped strengthen registrants’ digital literacy by explaining different computer hardware parts, online productivity tools, and sharing internet safety tools. The In-Demand Professional Soft Skills learning pathway offers several courses for building emotional intelligence, strengthening communication skills, and boosting employees’ decision-making skills. Several challenge winners shared their perspectives in the testimonials below:
- “Education is a big deal to me. I believe it is important to learn outside of school and your work. Skill-IT-Thon gives you the opportunity to learn more from the comfort of your own home, and I really enjoyed the process. I use technology in my everyday world, and the digital literacy pathway helped me understand the tools I use every day, such as Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. You can use the soft skill sets you learn for the workplace to reassess situations, or you can start your own Excel spreadsheet. All of these skills are important. Thank you, Mississippi Public Broadcasting, for this opportunity.” -Audrey Guynes, second place winner of $1,000
- “Skill-IT courses gave me the opportunity to look at different career paths. I already had an interest in tech and digital careers. Now, I want to go the IT professional route, and hopefully become a System Administrator. Thank you MPB for giving me this opportunity.” - Christopher Jamaule Ward, second place winner of $1,000
- “The pathways and courses enhanced the skills I was deficient in, such as project management and data analysis. It helped me to understand the requirements for those particular fields, increased my knowledge, and inspired me to do more in the field of those areas. I will utilize the skill sets I learn at work by encouraging my colleagues to take advantage of this opportunity because the courses are free, and they can increase their knowledge base for the skills they are deficient in as well. This is the perfect opportunity to learn new skills and increase promotability on the job, and if you are looking for a job this is an awesome opportunity. Thank you so much MPB for this opportunity.” -Gale Ray, first place winner of $1,500
Skill-IT-Thon winners were announced in the following age categories: 16-24, 25-49, and 50+.
First Place-$1,500: Kaodilinye Okeke, Cheryl Keeler, Gale Ray
Second Place-$1,000: Audrey Guynes, Christopher Jamaule Ward, Kimberly Shanta Jones
Third Place-$600: Ashley Anne Friday, Laura R. Furdge, Hazel Calhoun
Fourth Place-$250: Ebony Williams, Tressimee Stokes Thompson, Sarah Louise Walker
MPB Director of Corporate Support, Cedric Grizzell, the MPB Education Services team, along with partners, the City of Jackson, The Bean Path, and the Jackson Resource Center, were instrumental in bringing the Skill-IT-Thon Challenge together. Grizzell explained how the courses and pathways benefit all demographics. He said skill sets and certifications can be added onto Skill-IT-Thon participants’ resumes, challenge participants can receive job promotions, and increase their employability. High school scholars may benefit from the challenge because they can increase their skill sets and navigate which industry they want to join. Grizzell said he hopes everyone who participated in the challenge will remain driven and passionate about reskilling and upskilling. Grizzell believes as the digital world evolves, the computer science skills earned with the Skill-IT-Thon courses can help “Better yourself and your life.”
Although the challenge has ended, some of the pathways and courses are still available to everyone. Individuals must create a LinkedIn account before completing pathways and courses. Click here for more information.