Microsoft Digital Inclusion Program supported by SoulCode Academy trains PCDs for the technology market

Initiative aims to expand digital inclusion and guarantee study and employability opportunities for people with disabilities

The technology market continues to grow exponentially, however, it still stands out as one of the least diverse. Focused on this, and seeking to train people with disabilities in order to guarantee employability, as well as to promote innovation and economic development in Brazil, Microsoft had the educational support of SoulCode Academy, a Brazilian edtech that aims to democratize digital education , generating social impact and digital inclusion, to expand the training of PWDs for the technology market.

The partnership is part of Microsoft Conecta+, a portal that brings together all of the company's free training and retraining programs, and at the end of June trained around 30 students with disabilities in a Bootcamp focused on Cloud Concepts and Artificial Intelligence in the Microsoft Cloud. 

“The initiative with SoulCode is in line with Microsoft’s objective of training the Brazilian population in technology and having a diverse team in its workforce, which brings different perspectives to the business and innovates based on their individual experiences”, he stated Cristiane Carvalho, human resources director at Microsoft Brazil.

Training with inclusion has already transformed realities

Students participated in live, online 100% classes Monday through Friday, full time, from 8am to 6pm, for 12 weeks. In addition to technical training, the training also included mentoring from Microsoft professionals, development of behavioral skills and 1 hour of English class daily for each participant through SoulCode's Tech English platform.

“The course gave me the opportunity to learn technology and gain a career and also made me a better person. I learned about important techniques for the technology scenario, but I also improved my ability to work in groups and even learned about the importance of inclusion”, says Alexandre Caus Haddade, diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

“I was always delegitimized and afraid of contact with other people, but it was incredible how receptive the teachers were and how respected I was. Training allows me to work and seek dignity, in addition to the possibility of growth as a professional”, reports Bruna Gago, a transsexual woman who stutters and is diagnosed with ASD.

“People who deviate from the norm do not have the opportunity to choose a job and, from the moment we obtain a decent job through our training, we begin to have prospects for professional growth”, continued Bruna.

“When we think about technology, we still think about cis, white, non-disabled men. As a PWD and aware of my social status, I knew that I would need to dedicate myself more than others and I received all the necessary support for this during the bootcamp”, says Bruna.

“Inclusion is still beginning in the technology market and training opportunities like this one from Microsoft and SoulCode are a demonstration of this fight. A person with Autism Spectrum Disorder is not better or worse than anyone else, they are just a person with a different vision and this can be very important for a company”, says Alexandre.

About Microsoft 

Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) creates AI-powered platforms and tools to deliver innovative solutions that meet our customers’ evolving needs. The technology company is committed to making AI widely available and doing so responsibly, with a mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. In Brazil for 35 years, the company launched the Microsoft Mais Brasil Plan in 2020 with the aim of contributing to actions capable of preparing professionals for the digital economy, reducing inequalities and promoting inclusion in the country. By March 2024, more than 12.5 million people were reached with different free professional qualification and requalification initiatives.   

About SoulCode Academy

SoulCode Academy is a Brazilian edtech that aims to democratize digital education in Brazil, with the mission of generating digital inclusion, social impact, diversity and income. Its methodology is recognized for an agile learning model supported by Artificial Intelligence (AI), integrating technical and interpersonal skills and teaching English for technology.

The project was created by renowned professionals in the technology sector, after years of studies and visits to the most renowned programming schools in Europe and the United States. Having Carmela Borst, Fabricio Cardoso and Silvio Genesini as founding partners, edtech represents the vision of its team and the renowned Advisory Board, who understand that, through training in programming and a bridge to employability, they can support the beginning and redefinition of careers of thousands of people.

SoulCode Academy has more than 130 thousand students on its inclusive education platform and has already transformed the lives of more than 3 thousand people through bootcamps with free digital education scholarships, in addition to enabling more than 300 young people from favelas to have access to digital education.

For more information about SoulCode Academy, visit the website: https://soulcode.com/