CONNECTION, MICROSOFT PARTNER WITH AVIATION MUSEUM OF NH
In partnership with Microsoft, Connection (NASDAQ: CNXN) — which was recently named Dell Technologies’ 2024 Federal Rising Star Partner of the Year — has donated 20 Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 devices and accessories to the Aviation Museum of NH for its aviation-themed summer camp program Flights of Discovery. Participants will use these new devices to work together using the Minecraft virtual construction platform to design and build the airport of tomorrow.
In addition, the new technology devices will be used for various activities, such as designing airfoils that can be 3D printed and tested in the museum’s wind tunnel. The Aviation Museum’s Yellowbird Society will also get to use these devices to build their resumes, practice networking and design business cards as they pursue their aviation careers.
Brian Hicks, senior VP of product management and operations at Connection said, “We are thrilled to support the Aviation Museum of NH and their mission. As a Microsoft Solutions Partner, Connection is committed to helping organizations of every size and industry — from education and nonprofit to government, health care and business — connect with the right technology. Thank you to our partners at Microsoft and to everyone involved in the Flights of Discovery program for helping empower tomorrow’s visionaries and leaders with the tools to collaborate, explore new ideas and bring their creations to life.”
SKILLSOFT LAUNCHES INTERACTIVE SKILL BENCHMARKS
Skillsoft (NYSE: SKIL), a learning platform with an office in Salem, has created and launched its Interactive Skill Benchmarks (ISBs), which takes a hands-on, dynamic approach to skill assessments built around demonstrable learning outcomes and on-the-job application.
As skills gaps become more prevalent, Skillsoft has offered a way for employees to master various subjects, so that organizations can better asses how those skills align with the business’s needs and the talent it requires.
The first set of ISBs involves technology subjects such as AI, machine learning, programming, and data science with future plans to develop curriculum around leadership, business and risk management.
With the first set of benchmarks, employees can learn to apply their skills in an interactive virtual environment that mimics real-world projects; test their grasp of concepts learned using outcome-oriented assessments; receive personalized results and feedback; and identify areas of strength and improvement to track their growth over time.
“Interactive Skill Benchmarks are a pivotal moment in skill evaluation and development. Our approach enables learners to not just demonstrate their ability to recall learning, but apply it to solve real business problems,” said Debasis Dutta, senior vice president of enterprise solutions at Skillsoft. “With ISBs, organizations and learners gain a firmer understanding of where they currently are in their skilling journey, where they need to go, and what training is needed to get there.”
EVERNORTH CLOSES MULTI-INVESTOR FUND
Evernorth closed Housing New England Fund V on May 30 after it reached a commitment of $61 million from 15 investors that include community, regional and national banks. As a significant resource for the region, the fund will provide equity capital to finance affordable housing in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.
“We raised capital from a wide-range of investors and new partners enabling us to expand our reach to preserve and create much-needed affordable housing in these unprecedented times,” said Evernorth President Nancy Owens.
Of the 10 properties financed by Fund V, nine of them are projected to be complete in 2024 and create 371 homes. Five of the properties are in Maine, one in NH and four are in Vermont. Since Housing Vermont and Northern New England Housing Investment Fund merged in 2020 to become Evernorth, it has raised $323 million for affordable housing through its multiinvestor platform.
