Spring Skills Challenge

Get rewarded for gaining tech skills and free certifications at the Microsoft Spring Skills Challenge

Bibhas Bhattacharya

Bibhas Bhattacharya

Former Intelligent Cloud Business Group Lead

Read Time, 5 min.

This spring, with the goal of boosting your career by adding new skills and certifications, we invite you to join the Microsoft Spring Skills Challenge. We offer (all for free!):

  1. Learning path of your choice (see the selection below) on our Microsoft Learn platform, where you can complete the modules at your own pace.
  2. Corresponding training session where you can solidify your knowledge and ask our experts
  3. Corresponding Microsoft certification exam
Backpack Furthermore, if you successfully completed all 3 steps from above, we’ll send you a Microsoft Skills Award (cool branded backpack) to your postal address. *

To participate and get qualified for the Microsoft Award, choose one of the following solution areas and complete the 3 steps:

  1. Complete the Azure Fundamentals Cloud Skills Challenge
  2. Register for the Microsoft Azure Virtual Training Day: Fundamentals course
  3. Schedule and pass AZ-900 exam with 100% discount
  1. Complete the Azure AI Fundamentals Cloud Skills Challenge
  2. Register for the Microsoft Azure Virtual Training Day: AI Fundamentals course
  3. Schedule and pass AI-900 exam with 100% discount
  1. Complete the Azure Data Fundamentals Cloud Skills Challenge
  2. Register for the Microsoft Azure Virtual Training Day: Data Fundamentals course
  3. Schedule and pass DP-900 exam with 100% discount
  1. Complete the Power Platform Fundamentals Cloud Skills Challenge
  2. Register for the Microsoft Power Platform Virtual Training Day: Fundamentals course
  3. Schedule and pass PL-900 exam with 100% discount
  1. Complete the Security and Compliance Fundamentals Cloud Skills Challenge
  2. Register for the Microsoft Security, Compliance and Identity: Fundamentals course
  3. Schedule and pass SC-900 exam with 100% discount

Why should I join this challenge?
We know that one of the top priorities today is continuous learning. Technology is at a very high rate of change and to keep up with the continuous innovation – it is necessary to bet on new skills and certifications. Microsoft certifications, in addition to being recognized worldwide for their quality and prestige, consolidate solid technological foundations. With our certifications you can stand out gaining credibility in the cloud age, embrace projects in new areas and increase both your confidence and professional reputation.

How do I join a Cloud Skills Challenge (Step 1 of the Microsoft Spring Skills Challenge)
Pick the preferred learning path from the selection you see above and click “Complete the Cloud Skills Challenge” link. Log in using your Microsoft Account, create a free Microsoft Learn account (if you don’t have it), and click “Start learning”. You will see set of the learning modules you have to go through and the leaderboard where you can track your progress.

How do I get the exam for free after attending the Microsoft Virtual Training days?
Microsoft Virtual Training Days are composed of 1 to 2 training webinars, between 3h to 6h in total, depending on the chosen technology. To get the discount you will need to attend the entire training and at the end you will receive communication with more information. This video explains how to get the discount after the course.

How to succeed with the exam to get certified?
Carefully going through the content of the Cloud Skills Challenge plus joining a Microsoft Virtual Training Day will dramatically increase your chance to pass the exam. Also, see here how to better prepare for exams. If you want to better understand the structure of the exams, please refer to our Exam duration and question types. For more general questions, see Frequently asked questions.

How to get my Microsoft Skills Award?
Once you have obtained your certification, just ask for your ? Microsoft ? backpack! Email us on springchallenge@microsoft.com with a printscreen proof of your certification and your Cloud Skills Challenge name, then we will send you instructions on how to get your award*.

Can we run our own Cloud Skills Challenge for our company or community?
Yes! We’ll be happy to set up a custom Cloud Skills Challenge for your company, team, usergroup, community (internal or external). Together with you, we’ll pick the learning modules from Microsoft Learn resource that are relevant for your developer team to upskill on now, define timeframe, and other details. It’s all for free, and the prizes are on us! Just send a request to springchallenge@microsoft.com to start the discussion.

If you didn’t make it this time, don’t give up! We offer several Virtual Training Days and you can get a 100% discount for the exam again. You have until March 21 to finish the Cloud Skills Challenge, and until April 30, 2022 to make the exam and claim your award.

Getting a free Microsoft Certification is an opportunity and an investment in you and your career. Grab this opportunity and challenge your collaborators/colleagues to do the Microsoft Spring Skills Challenge!

Good luck!

* Additional Terms and Conditions

  • Backpack offer limited to the first 500 valid certification responses made between February 1st and April 30th sent to springchallenge@microsoft.com. It is only valid for the postal addresses in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. If you have any questions, please reach us through the same email address
  • Government and public sector employees are not eligible to participate.
  • You can only opt for one exam offer and backpack per person, regardless of the number of challenges you complete.
  • The exam offer expiration date cannot be extended under any circumstances.
  • The exam offer may only be redeemed once.
  • This exam offer and/or the backpack may not be redeemed or exchanged for cash, credit or refund.
  • The exam offer is nontransferable and is void if you alter, revise or transfer it in any way.
  • Microsoft reserves the right to cancel, change, or suspend this promotion for any reason.

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