Learning Gaps/Profit/And Accessibility

Considering shifts in the markets, the rise of AI, automation, and pretty soon the ramping up of robotics. Not to mention bigger and bigger cyber attacks. There is most likely going to be an even bigger tidal wave of people wanting to get into IT.

Unfortunately learning the material can be difficult. I have checked MIS/CIS degree plans, CS degree plans for Universities, Colleges, Vocational Schools, even some online schools and you can tell they are just not covering what needs to be covered. I would go further to say a true IT Degree would be to merge CS and MIS and make sure there are actual classes on SCCM/Endpoint, Batch, PowerShell, Administrations

Recently after the summer 2023 cyberattack on Office 365. Microsoft decided to free up resources. Why? Well the paywall being there was actually in itself a security concern. And due to the cyber attack the paywall was removed. Resources were freed up

Why isn't this happening for Education? The harder we make it for people to learn tech. The less we will have in the field. Less security awareness, etc.

Imo, Microsoft and other industry leaders have a opportunity here. Why not have freely available barebones learning versions of major software? Windows Server, SQL Server, Office 365, Azure, Intune, etc.? Cisco is doing great with Cisco Packet Tracer for example.

Imagine releasing them as freely available web program or vms? This way the lab work part of learning IT can be easier...?

*I know evals exist, but having a version that never expires would be great