Today's knowledge economy requires that the citizenry and workforce be able to harness information and communication technologies in order to remain competitive on a global scale. As a result of new demands, the notion of digital literacy has become less a luxury and more an imperative for many countries, gaining significant momentum in the past decade among government officials, business leaders, and educators. In particular, technology companies, many of which have led the charge into the digital age, have been instrumental in designing tools people use everyday and in teaching them how to use and benefit from those tools. Many technology companies work with schools and communities through corporate giving or volunteer initiatives to facilitate technology skills training to prepare students for careers in the digital age. Although students and parents are often told that computer skills are integral to their education, often it can be difficult for them to envision how those skills will be used in their future careers. Although perhaps unique in its size and position, Microsoft's corporate culture is indicative of the kinds of job skills that are now critical for success. Much in the way that the company invests in education and workforce development to prepare citizens to learn and work in the global economy, Microsoft also holds its employees accountable to a set of core competencies that enables the company to remain competitive and innovative. These competencies have evolved since the company's inception and continue to change and grow as the economy demands new skills, products, and services. Microsoft's competencies and the Partnership for 21st Century Skills learning framework both feature a consistent package of abilities to ensure individuals are competitive in the future and beyond. It is in the spirit of these core competencies and its general mandate to empower individuals to achieve success in the knowledge economy that Microsoft established the worldwide Partners in Learning (PiL) initiative. PiL is designed to assist individuals and communities in increasing access to the technologies and skills that they need to succeed in the changing economy by building education partnerships with governments, education leaders, and institutions. Within the United States, PiL works to build public-private partnerships that advance teaching, learning, and digital inclusion projects. (Contains 1 figure and 1 note.)