>> Even the history of computers,
especially in America, women were at the forefront.
Women were out their coding,
women were out there programming.
Oh, sorry, that's my dog. Once we got
into a world where the money started moving into text,
hold on a second, sorry.
>> I love it.
>> Buddy, it's okay.
This has been the new joy of working from home.
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>> One of the groups we've been really fortunate to
work with really on a global basis is in France.
It's called the Simplon Foundation.
It has been developing part of what we have in France,
it's called the AI School that focuses on skills.
It's really put its energy to work to get
more computers into the hands of people.
So I want to introduce you today,
Friend to the President and
co-founder of the Simplon Foundation, Frederic Bardeau.
>> Fred.
>> Nice to meet you. Thank you.
bonjour
>> I hope I said that correctly.
>> Yeah.
>> Thank you so much for joining us today,
and let's talk a little bit about what Simplon is doing right now.
You've always been working with people to train them,
and it's all about giving people
free training to get them the expertise they need.
>> Yeah, that's it. It's about converting
digital skills mismatch into
environments for underserved communities.
So we are training for free, people,
like refugees, dropout, underprivileged people.
Women also, we are lacking women in IT sector
on digital skills that are very research on the labor market,
and they find a job after the training.
>> People getting the technology and knowing how to
use it can change their lives.
Simplon has been all about that,
but Coronavirus has amplified that almost 10 times over.
>> Since the COVID-19 crisis is on,
and many patients and many people are
confined without any connection.
It's the case for a patient and people who have the disease.
So we've been very shocked by
these things because at an extreme point,
you can die without saying hello,
and goodbye to your family.
>> What are you doing now with COVID-19,
and where do you think you've seen you need to work even
harder to get people connected with the digital age?
>> We launched this initiative with Microsoft in France to give
some tablets and laptops to people in hospitals,
and also focusing on
very senior people who are in medical institutions,
and they are very isolated.
>> Obviously, you're in France,
I know that you're in South Africa,
but where else are you working,
and what challenges are you
finding in getting people not just the technology,
but then also the training that they need?
>> We started in France,
now we are in 20 countries.
We are mostly in Europe,
and Middle East and Africa, and also in India.
There are talented people everywhere that need digital skills.
>> From Microsoft's side,
what have you been doing with Simplon
and why did this organization stand out for you?
>> Well, one of the things that really impressed us was
their understanding that it's about
first getting technology into people's hands,
but it's really using technology to help people
develop the next generation of skills they'll need.
The reality is, I think we're seeing
just such fast digitization of
the economy during this COVID crisis.
But really, it's accelerating
something that was already moving quickly,
and was already very important.
>> You know, Fred, one thing
that really struck me about what you were saying
in terms of which communities you're going
after was when you highlighted women.
There's been a misconception for many years,
many decades in fact,
that technology is a man's game.
When in fact, if you look at even the history of computers,
especially in America, women were at the forefront of programming.
Women were there creating when men weren't involved.
Once the money went there,
women got left behind,
and pushed out of the space.
You have been adamant that you want to
get women back into the world of IT,
but is there a challenge in getting some communities to
buy into the fact that this is for women as well?
>> Yeah, for sure. It's very difficult because there
is this self-censorship syndrome.
They have been told that they are not able
to do technology like men, and it's not the case.
In Europe, in North America,
we have 38 percent women in our training.
When in Africa and India, it's 70 percent.
So it's really like cultural depending on the country.
So we have to face it,
and we have to fight it because technology has
to be set for women and by women.
>> Brad, on your side,
what is your dream?
Where would you like to see Simplon in the years coming up,
and how do you think Microsoft can help with that?
>> Well, I love the vision of going global,
and especially in countries where
technology is not as ubiquitous as it is in other places.
It's almost as if I think people need three things;
they needed a device,
they need connectivity, and they need access to skills.
They've done great work with us in France for an AI School,
which will reach 500 people during this next year.
It's all about equipping people who have some set of skills,
but not all the skills to
pursue a career in artificial intelligence.
I think you put it really well, Trevor.
It's like opening a door on
people's future to give them these kinds of skills.
>> It really is inspiring.
Fred, thank you so much for your time,
and thank you for the amazing work that you're doing.
I really hope it goes from 20 countries to
a 170 countries to the point where there's no
longer a need for your organization because everyone has
the skills that they deserve. So thank you very much.
>> Thank you.
>> I look forward to seeing you in Paris someday,
that will be one of our testaments of success.
>> You're welcome.
As soon as possible, I hope so
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