James O’Connor

Skilling Up Rural Ireland for the Era of AI

AI has the potential to empower people and organisations across the country but it’s critical that everyone, everywhere has the skills to harness its benefits. Last October, we launched our national AI skilling programme to help give everyone in Ireland the opportunity to upskill and reskill. One of our key ambitions as part of the […]

Empowering Equal Access to STEM

As our digital economy evolves, new and emerging technologies continue to generate opportunities for communities, individuals, and businesses across the country. The potential of these technologies can only be unlocked, if everyone, everywhere has the skills to do so. Unfortunately, there remain significant imbalances in STEM in Ireland. According to the Higher Education Authority, 43% […]

Skilling Up Ireland for an AI future

AI offers huge potential to empower workers, people and communities across Ireland – but only if everyone, everywhere has the skills to use it. That’s why today, 27th October 2023, we’re proud to be joined by Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation Dara Calleary TD to launch our new national AI […]

Accelerating the Reach of Microsoft Dream Space to Students in Rural Ireland

Today marks a very special day for Microsoft Ireland as we host our first ever Microsoft Dream Space Showcase at our campus in Leopardstown, Dublin. Over 300 students from 13 schools and seven clubs in rural Ireland gathered at One Microsoft Place for the inaugural Microsoft Dream Space Showcase to demonstrate the many ways in […]

Renewable energy at the heart of Microsoft’s sustainability journey

The journey to net zero cannot be achieved without the decarbonisation of the electricity grid and the development of zero carbon energy sources such as wind and solar energy. That’s why it’s so critical that Government, industry and the energy sector work together to help accelerate the shift to renewable energy. During her visit to […]

Skilling Up the Next Generation

Microsoft’s Dream Space to provide almost 1million students with the opportunity to develop their digital skills   Four years ago, Microsoft Ireland set out on a journey to help open the eyes and minds of young people to the endless possibilities offered by technology. At that time, we recognised how critical digital skills would be […]

Celebrating One Year of #StepIn2Tech

A mentored pathway to a career in the digital economy A little over one year ago, Microsoft Ireland sat down with our long-standing NGO partner, Fastrack to IT (FIT), to discuss how we could support people who were experiencing unemployment due to the Covid-19 pandemic to upskill or reskill in order to secure new employment […]

Empowering Young People to Re-imagine Ireland’s Digital Future

As someone who has watched with great satisfaction as the Microsoft Dream Space journey has evolved and grown over the last four years, it was a moment of pride and excitement for me, as I’m sure it was for many of my colleagues across Microsoft Ireland, to tune into the final of the Ireland’s Future […]

Microsoft Soundscape App Launches in Ireland

Over the past year, technology has played a critical role in assisting us in the performance of everyday tasks from working to learning and communicating with family and friends. But for people living with additional needs, assistive technology – from mobility aids and voice recognition programs to adaptive switches and countless other devices – can […]