Workforce training is a key element for effective technology adoption and management in public sector organizations and our recent report, Public Sector Insights on Skilling, highlights various challenges that public sector organizations face when it comes to skilling: staying current with technology trends, assessing the workforce skills gaps, driving training at scale, and building a learning culture, just to name a few.

In the era of AI, more than ever Government leaders are recognizing the importance of workforce skilling and are leveraging shared service agencies and strategic partnerships to implement continuous training programs at scale that foster a learning culture within their organization and ensures the workforce is AI ready. One notable example is the Microsoft Civil Servants Academy in Greece that is reskilling, upskilling and certifying thousands of civil servants in cloud and AI technologies.

Skilling at scale through strategic partnerships

Greece isn’t the only country that is creating strategic partnerships to drive skilling at scale. In Portugal, for example, the National Institute of Public Administration (INA) has partnered with Microsoft and ​six higher education institutions to create the “AI Business School AP” with the goal of equipping public administration leaders with the necessary skills to develop AI strategies.

Some governments around the world are developing strategic internal partnerships like with their in-house shared services agency to help provide on-going skilling to the workforce. The GovTech Digital Academy in Singapore and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Jahiz Future Government Talents are two examples.

The GovTech Digital Academy in Singapore delivers a variety of programs for government organizations looking to advance their information communication technology skills, including a dedicated curriculum to data science & AI. Similarly, the UAE’s Jahiz Future Talents program focuses on four categories of skills: digital skills, data & AI, new economy skills and 10x skills.

To create the Microsoft Civil Servants Academy, the Greek government has collaborated with Microsoft, which provides technical expertise and the curriculum, the Ministry of Interior, which offers strategic direction and supports changes to the legal framework, and EKDDA (National Centre of Public Administration and Local Government), which leads the training efforts, provides experienced human resources, and ensures effective implementation.

Key components of the Microsoft Civil Servants Academy

Over the past two years, the Greek Government has successfully upskilled approximately 100,000 civil servants in both digital and soft skills. As part of this effort and under the GRforGrowth initiative, Microsoft has delivered 8,000 Cloud and M365 training sessions, significantly enhancing the digital competencies of public sector employees.

With approximately 1,000 certifications achieved, this initiative has made substantial progress in educating and re-skilling civil servants in Azure and productivity tools. It has fostered a deeper understanding and expertise in Microsoft technologies, driving digital transformation within the public sector.

Over the past three years, the Microsoft Civil Servants Academy has successfully conducted more than 60,000 training sessions, including 7,000 high-quality cloud trainings that have significantly enhanced the skills of IT civil servants. Approximately 10% of these civil servants are now certified in Azure, Security, AI, and other key cloud technologies.

When developing the curriculum for the Microsoft Civil Servants Academy, program leaders leveraged several Microsoft global initiatives to maximize the effectiveness of upskilling the public sector workforce, including:

1. Microsoft Learn for Educators (MSLE): This program provides educators with access to Microsoft’s official curriculum and teaching materials, enabling them to deliver high-quality training. Benefits include: 
   • Access to Microsoft-developed and authorized Microsoft Official Curriculum
   • Resources to enable effective teaching, including practice lab seats for hands-on experience
   • Professional development and training opportunities for educators, including free certification exams and practice tests
2. Microsoft Certified Trainers: The program focuses on training and certifying trainers who can then disseminate their knowledge across the public sector. This ensures that: 
   • Educators are equipped with the latest digital skills and teaching methodologies
   • Trainers can provide consistent, high-quality instruction across various technologies and solution areas
3. Enterprise Skills Initiative (ESI): ESI supports the development of digital skills in Microsoft cloud technologies through:
   • Advanced role-based trainings tailored to specific job functions
   • Exam preparation resources and voucher discounts to help learners achieve certifications
   • Customized learning programs and interactive sessions

Success of the Microsoft Civil Servants Academy

The success of the Microsoft Civil Servants Academy is evident in its significant impact on civil servants, the government’s commitments and additional partnerships to ensure the delivery of a quality, comprehensive training and certification program for Greece’s public sector, and the widespread recognition it has garnered.

• The Microsoft Civil Servants Academy is featured among EU good practices – Training of civil servants in Cloud Computing Technologies – and has received accolades from Greek government officials for its exceptional results and contributions.
• The Greek government is officially recognizing Microsoft certifications within their legal framework, incentivizing civil servants with career advancement opportunities. This legal recognition is helping to grow the number of learners and underscores the importance of digital skills in the public sector.
• EKDDA has signed an MoU with Microsoft to join the Microsoft Learn for Educators Initiative. This collaboration is the first of its kind in Greece, providing all the Microsoft requirements so the Greek Government can provide structured and certified Microsoft training across the public sector through civil servants’ Microsoft Certified Trainers.
• Microsoft’s fundamental cloud trainings and M365 productivity courses have been included in the official list of trainings promoted for the professional development of civil servants, they have also been integrated into the Human Resources Management System (HRMS) of the Greek Public Sector, ensuring seamless access and recognition of critical skills development opportunities.

Skilling in the era of AI

As the digital landscape continues to evolve, finding a reliable vehicle for continuous skilling is paramount for the success of any public sector organization’s digital transformation. The era of AI and digital transformation demands a workforce equipped with the necessary skills to navigate and leverage new technologies effectively.

In 2025, Microsoft is advancing this mission through the AI National Skills Initiative Plan (AINSI), driving generative AI skilling at scale across 20 priority countries. A key component of this initiative is enabling government agencies to enhance AI fluency, identified as one of the core national skills priorities.

In Greece, Microsoft has partnered with the Ministry of Digital Policy, the Ministry of Interior, and EKDDA to introduce the innovative initiative, AI in Public Sector: Empowering Civil Servants with Microsoft Copilot. This program has garnered over 1,700 applications from civil servants, with more than 300 participants already trained in two customized Microsoft courses: Craft Effective Prompts for Microsoft 365 Copilot and Microsoft 365 Copilot Use Cases.

By investing in comprehensive training programs and strategic partnerships, like those exemplified by the Microsoft Civil Servants Academy, the GovTech Digital Academy in Singapore, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Jahiz Future Government Talents, and the AI Business School AP in Portugal – governments can ensure their employees are not only prepared to face current challenges but are also primed to drive future innovations.

These partnerships allow governments to provide large-scale training programs that align with organizational goals, ensuring maximum effectiveness. By fostering internal and external collaborations, governments can offer consistent, ongoing skill development, preparing their workforce for AI-related tasks and enhancing the execution of public sector services. Investing in these strategic partnerships is important for maintaining a capable and innovative public sector workforce, ultimately improving the delivery of public sector programs and services.

To find out more:

• The Importance of Defining the Return on Investment for Skilling within Public Sector Organizations (Part 1)
• Evolving the Skills of Your Public Sector Workforce
• Public Sector Insights on Skilling

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