In less than a week from now, thousands of charged up students will get together to develop apps for the Windows platform.
On
Feb 26, more than 10,000 students from across the country will gear up
to code applications for a whole day at more than 50 hub centres, which
are currently holding training sessions for students who wish to brush
up their coding skills as they register, a Microsoft statement said.
On
the day of the AppFest, the young developers will code under the
supervision of Microsoft mentors, trainers and Microsoft Student
Partners (MSPs), and submit the app online an opportunity to make it
available on the Windows Store after due diligence.
"On one hand,
the trends in the IT space have evolved over the past few years,
creating greater opportunities for students and budding developers. On
the other, the global youth unemployment rate is currently at 12.7
percenti - double the overall unemployment rate," Microsoft Director
(Strategic Audience Marketing) Pratima Amonkar said.
"These two
things clearly indicate a gap in demand and supply - and the obvious
answer: Given the right skills and training, there is lot young
technology students can achieve today. This is exactly what we are
trying to do: bring together the opportunity and those who can utilize
it.
"Obviously students recognize the opportunity, going by the
enthusiastic response we have received across India so far," Amonkar
added.
Microsoft will provide students at each of the hubs with
free software such as Visual Studio Express for Windows 8, and with free
Windows Store registration codes through Microsoft DreamSpark, the
statement said.
"The focus will be on broad-based consumer
applications, incorporating education, games, apps for social good etc.
In addition to submitting the apps for evaluation for a chance to get on
the Microsoft Store, the training and experience received via this
program will boost the students' employability, and create a more
capable developer ecosystem in the country," the statement added.
Registrations can be done here.
Founded
in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software for personal and
business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and
services designed to empower people through great software - any time,
any place and on any device.
Microsoft Corporation (India) Private
Ltd is a subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation, USA. It has had a
presence in India since 1990 and currently has offices in nine cities -
Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai, New
Delhi and Pune.