Summary
Unlock Your Future: EY and Microsoft Introduce a Free AI Skills Passport to Empower Youth with AI Training is a global initiative launched by professional services firm EY and technology company Microsoft to provide accessible artificial intelligence (AI) education to young people aged 16 and older. Designed as a free online program, the AI Skills Passport equips learners with foundational AI knowledge and practical skills to enhance employability in an increasingly AI-driven job market. Building on the success of their earlier Green Skills Passport, which focused on sustainability and green economy skills and engaged over 46,000 learners, this program addresses the growing demand for AI competencies worldwide.
The AI Skills Passport features a flexible, learner-centered curriculum accessible via web and mobile platforms, allowing participants to complete 6 to 10 hours of training at their own pace. Upon completion, learners receive a co-branded certificate from EY and Microsoft that validates their AI capabilities and provides access to curated resources for further education and career development. The program targets underserved communities and supports educators with adaptable teaching tools designed to accommodate diverse learning styles, fostering critical thinking, creativity, and digital literacy.
This initiative is part of EY’s broader AI for Social Impact strategy, which integrates EY Ripples (EY’s corporate responsibility platform), responsible AI principles, and global partnerships to advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through this strategy, EY and Microsoft aim not only to develop AI skills but also to promote responsible and inclusive AI innovation that addresses social and environmental challenges. The collaboration includes workshops, mentoring, and support for impact-driven entrepreneurs, extending the program’s reach and social value beyond education alone.
Despite its broad ambitions, the program responds to notable challenges in AI education accessibility and preparedness among youth. Research indicates many young people feel underprepared for AI-related careers, and job postings requiring AI skills have surged dramatically in recent years. The AI Skills Passport seeks to bridge this gap by offering scalable, free training and career support services, aiming to positively influence millions of learners globally by 2025. While the initiative has received praise for its inclusive approach, ongoing efforts are needed to expand its global accessibility and measure long-term outcomes in workforce integration.
Background
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become an integral part of modern society, fundamentally transforming the ways people learn, work, and live. Recognizing the growing importance of AI skills for the future workforce, EY and Microsoft have partnered to create the AI Skills Passport (AISP), a free program designed to equip youth aged 16 and older with essential AI knowledge and practical experience. This initiative builds upon the success of their earlier EY Microsoft Green Skills Passport program, which focused on developing skills for the green economy and has already supported over 46,000 learners.
The AI Skills Passport aims to provide accessible AI education that empowers young people and underserved communities to navigate the evolving digital workplace confidently. The program focuses on fostering critical thinking, creativity, and engagement tailored to diverse learning levels and outcomes. By combining EY’s extensive business and industry expertise with Microsoft’s advanced data and AI technologies, the alliance supports learners in applying AI to various industries and career paths, thereby enhancing their employability in a rapidly changing job market.
Moreover, EY and Microsoft’s collaboration extends beyond education to include social impact initiatives that leverage responsible AI to address global challenges. Through the AI for Social Impact strategy, which integrates EY Ripples, Responsible AI, and EY.ai, the partners aim to accelerate progress toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by scaling AI-driven solutions that benefit people, communities, and the planet. This holistic approach underlines the commitment of both organizations to not only equip youth with AI skills but also to foster responsible and inclusive AI innovation for broader societal good.
Overview of the AI Skills Passport
The AI Skills Passport (AISP) is a free online learning program designed to help students aged 16 and older develop knowledge and skills related to artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. It aims to equip youth and underserved communities with practical AI capabilities to enhance their future employment prospects across various industries and career paths. The program is accessible via both web and mobile platforms, allowing participants to complete the 6 to 10-hour course at their own pace.
Upon successful completion, learners receive a co-branded certificate issued by EY and Microsoft, which serves as formal recognition of their AI competencies. The course provides not only foundational AI education but also access to a curated database of websites and resources, supporting further learning and job search opportunities in the evolving AI-driven job market.
The AI Skills Passport builds upon the earlier EY Microsoft Green Skills Passport program and forms part of a broader social impact collaboration between EY and Microsoft. This initiative focuses on upskilling young people and supporting workforce entry or re-entry, emphasizing sustainability, STEM education, and now AI proficiency. EY Ripples, EY’s corporate responsibility platform, supports the program’s mission to empower the next generation through digital learning tools, especially in underserved or low-income regions.
The launch of the AI Skills Passport aligns with the growing global demand for AI skills, which has surged significantly in recent years. Research by EY and TeachAI highlighted that many Gen Z individuals feel their current educational or employment environments do not adequately prepare them for AI-related challenges and opportunities. By providing accessible, responsible AI education, the program contributes to EY’s global AI for Social Impact strategy, which seeks to leverage AI to promote sustainable growth, social innovation, and equitable access to technology.
Participants also benefit from career support services, including progress tracking and connections to free or subsidized training opportunities through partnerships such as the Microsoft Community. This holistic approach helps learners unlock future career opportunities and adapt to the evolving demands of the modern workforce.
Development and Collaboration
The development of the AI Skills Passport (AISP) is a collaborative effort between EY and Microsoft aimed at empowering youth aged 16 and older with the knowledge and skills required to navigate the evolving digital landscape shaped by artificial intelligence. Building on the success of the EY Microsoft Green Skills Passport program, which focused on green economy skills, the AISP expands this vision to AI technologies, enabling learners to understand, work with, and apply AI across various industries and career paths.
This initiative forms part of EY’s broader AI for Social Impact strategy, which integrates EY Ripples, Responsible AI, and EY.ai to accelerate progress toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). EY Ripples, the firm’s global corporate responsibility program, leverages the combined expertise of EY professionals worldwide to scale social impact initiatives and create sustainable outcomes that no single organization could achieve alone. Through this platform, EY teams provide pro bono consulting, skills development workshops, mentoring programs, and digital resources that support the next generation, impact enterprises, and environmental sustainability.
The collaboration extends beyond content development to include capacity-building workshops and coaching. EY teams, in partnership with data.org, support awardee organizations of the Generative AI Skills Challenge, helping them scale their missions and enhance the use of generative AI across impact organizations, NGOs, and their beneficiaries. Additionally, Microsoft Entrepreneurship for Positive Impact supports tech-driven entrepreneurs addressing global challenges, with EY and Microsoft jointly running Skills Labs to help these entrepreneurs tackle growth challenges such as investment strategies, financial planning, ESG strategy, and business resilience.
Teachers and trainers play a critical role in this ecosystem, as EY and Microsoft provide curriculum, resources, and training to educators worldwide, including those in low-income countries. These efforts ensure that digital tools and AI capabilities are accessible to future leaders everywhere, facilitating knowledge sharing and capacity building for a more inclusive AI-driven future workforce.
Through this strong partnership, EY and Microsoft leverage AI tools and frameworks to transform data into actionable insights, driving innovation and value creation for clients and society alike. This collaborative approach underscores the urgent need for AI skills in the workforce and the commitment of both organizations to foster talent development and social impact at scale.
Curriculum and Training Content
The AI Skills Passport (AISP) program, developed through a collaboration between EY and Microsoft, offers a comprehensive curriculum designed to equip learners aged 16 and older with essential AI knowledge and skills. The program provides content, curriculum, and resources that support learners globally in understanding and applying AI technologies across various industries and careers.
A key feature of the curriculum is its adaptability to diverse learning styles and preferences. Educators are encouraged to design prompts tailored to visual, kinesthetic, and other types of learners, incorporating tools such as images, diagrams, and hands-on activities to optimize engagement and comprehension. This approach ensures that the training is inclusive and effective in catering to individual needs.
The curriculum builds on the success of previous initiatives, such as the EY Microsoft Green Skills Passport, by focusing on preparing students for the evolving digital workforce with a strong foundation in AI. The training content spans practical applications of AI, fostering innovation and creativity, and enabling learners to navigate the challenges of the modern workplace.
Additionally, the program supports educators, trainers, and facilitators with ready-to-use AI resources that enhance teaching effectiveness and community training efforts. These resources aim to empower local educators to prepare future generations for AI-driven industries, helping to futureproof careers in a rapidly changing world.
Pedagogical Approach and Instructional Design
The EY and Microsoft AI Skills Passport employs a learner-centered pedagogical approach that emphasizes the importance of tailored prompts and adaptive instruction to engage diverse learner profiles effectively. By utilizing educational prompt engineering techniques, the program encourages educators to design prompts that are appropriate to the learner’s age, skill level, and learning preferences. For example, prompts for younger students are crafted to be simpler and more guided, while those for advanced learners promote deeper exploration and independent thinking.
Instructional design within the program also accounts for varied learning styles by integrating multimodal elements. Visual learners benefit from prompts that incorporate images or diagrams, whereas kinesthetic learners engage with hands-on activities embedded in the curriculum. This approach fosters personalized learning experiences that enhance student motivation and promote knowledge retention.
Moreover, the Skills Passport framework integrates AI-powered digital tools that empower teachers, particularly in low-income countries, by providing accessible resources that support future workforce development. The use of these tools aligns with efforts to democratize AI education and prepare learners for evolving employment landscapes. The curriculum’s flexible design supports asynchronous, self-paced learning, ensuring inclusivity and scalability across different regions and educational contexts.
Together, these pedagogical and instructional design principles unlock the potential of AI to transform traditional teaching methods, enabling educators to foster critical thinking, creativity, and employability skills among youth worldwide.
Implementation and Global Reach
The Unlock Your Future initiative, launched by EY and Microsoft, is a free AI Skills Passport program designed to empower youth with essential AI training and skills development. It builds on prior social impact collaborations between the two organizations aimed at upskilling young people and supporting workforce entry or re-entry, with a particular focus on sustainability, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The program is available to learners aged 16 and over and has already seen significant engagement, with over 46,000 learners completing the Green Skills Passport course that supports careers in the growing green economy.
The program is currently offered in multiple countries, with ongoing efforts to expand its global reach. EY and Microsoft actively encourage partnerships to increase participation and engagement among beneficiaries worldwide. This broad accessibility is aligned with EY’s commitment through its EY Ripples corporate responsibility program to create sustainable, long-term impact by leveraging the combined skills and experience of its global network. EY Ripples aims to positively impact one billion lives by 2030, further underscoring the global ambition behind initiatives like the AI Skills Passport.
Moreover, the program addresses urgent market demands, as research indicates a 2,000% surge in AI skills required by job postings. Despite this, surveys show that many young people feel underprepared for AI’s implications and use, motivating EY and Microsoft to prioritize accessible, scalable education solutions that equip youth with the necessary AI competencies for future employment. The continuous expansion and adaptation of the program demonstrate a commitment to meeting the evolving needs of learners in a rapidly changing technological landscape.
Impact and Outcomes
The collaboration between EY and Microsoft through the AI Skills Passport initiative aims to empower youth by providing accessible AI training that addresses the growing demand for AI competencies in the workforce. This program forms part of a broader social impact partnership focused on upskilling millions of people globally, with a specific emphasis on sustainability and STEM education. By 2025, the initiative seeks to positively influence over five million lives, particularly by supporting young people entering or re-entering the workforce or building new businesses.
A key driver of the program’s success is the involvement of impact entrepreneurs, who play a crucial role in ensuring that AI serves as a force for positive social change. EY supports these entrepreneurs by extending the expertise of its teams and collaborating with leading organizations to help scale innovative AI solutions. In addition to providing not-for-profit professional services, EY offers various skills development and coaching programs aimed at fostering impact entrepreneurship.
The initiative also addresses the urgent need for “green skilling”—equipping the workforce with the capabilities required for sustainable and environmentally focused jobs. Programs like the EY Future Skills Workshops make vital knowledge on responsible AI and sustainability more accessible, particularly in low-income regions where digital tools empower educators and future leaders. Workforce agencies, educational institutions, and labor organizations are encouraged to leverage AI skills training to prepare workers for the evolving AI-driven economy.
EY professionals contribute extensively through pro bono consulting, mentoring, and digital resources to support the next generation and accelerate environmental sustainability efforts. These collaborative efforts foster knowledge sharing, mentorship, and practical skills development, enabling impact enterprises to scale and achieve greater social impact.
Furthermore, the program offers learners the opportunity to track their progress and access free or subsidized career training via Microsoft’s community partnerships. This approach aims to futureproof careers by inspiring critical thinking and creativity tailored to different learning levels, ultimately helping youth embrace emerging opportunities in the AI economy.
Related Initiatives and Programs
EY Ripples is a global corporate responsibility program by EY that focuses on supporting the next-generation workforce in leveraging AI to enhance education and employment opportunities through free, online learning. It operates across multiple countries and continues to expand globally, aiming to positively impact one billion lives by 2030 in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). EY Ripples also collaborates with clients and partners to scale impact initiatives and create sustainable outcomes that individual organizations cannot achieve alone.
In partnership with data.org, EY teams provide capacity-building workshops and coaching to organizations awarded in the Generative AI Skills Challenge. This initiative is designed to strengthen the use of generative AI technologies across impact organizations, NGOs, and their beneficiaries, helping to scale their missions effectively.
Another key program is the EY-Microsoft Green Skills Passport, which targets learners aged 16 and over, equipping them with skills for green jobs and the expanding green economy. To date, over 46,000 learners have completed this free course, advancing toward careers in sustainable industries. EY also offers Future Skills Workshops (FSW), designed to upskill young or underserved groups with knowledge and competencies necessary to navigate a rapidly changing world.
Additionally, Microsoft hosts the free AI Tour, an initiative focused on learning, connecting, and leading future innovation in AI technologies, further supporting youth engagement and skill development in the AI domain.
Future Developments and Expansion
The initiative to provide AI training through the free AI Skills Passport is set to expand its reach to multiple countries, with ongoing efforts to bring the program to additional regions across the globe. This expansion aims to empower more young people, particularly in low-income countries, by equipping teachers with digital tools and capabilities to support future leaders effectively.
Looking ahead, the program seeks to foster partnerships with various organizations to enhance participant engagement and broaden its impact. Stakeholders interested in collaborating or sharing promotional materials can connect directly with the program coordinators to maximize outreach and participation.
Moreover, the initiative aligns with broader goals to develop skills relevant to emerging sectors, such as green jobs, ensuring that youth are prepared for evolving employment landscapes influenced by technological and environmental changes. As AI continues to transform education and workforce dynamics, this program represents a strategic effort to harness digital innovation in empowering the next generation.
