Microsoft YouthSpark is a series events that aims to empower young generation to survive in the digital era. Through an educational approach, Microsoft YouthSpark prepares the young generation with capabilities that are needed in this sophisticated era. That vision is in line with the ideas coming from Government in realizing Indonesia to be an economic digital ASEAN leader by 2020.

As one that wants to blow through this program, it held series events to provide deeper understanding competence and development of digital products. To support this activity, Microsoft Innovation Center held a Workshop Introduction on TouchDevelop as a platform application for developers for five days that invited 250 students coming from Yogyakarta. This workshop was over the cooperation among Microsoft Indonesia, Yayasan Cinta Anak Bangsa (YCAB) and supported by local partner Microsoft Innovation Center and Lentera Anak Bangsa Cerdas (LABC).

This might second time YouthSpark invited students from Yogyakarta to join this agenda. Previously, a series events of YouthSpark has managed to motivated and guide students in Yogyakarta to create digital games that used platform game development called Kodu Game Labs. This was started from October 2015 until June 2016 and it invited 1000 students to learn how to design create ideas up to develop such a game. Their ideas and games passed some selection and assessment from the judges and finally there were 3 best games that presented in the final round. 

This activity contained a series agenda and it was led by the trainer coming from Microsoft Innovation Center Yogyakarta. The participants got guidance from Game Community at Universitas Gajah Mada called GameDev. In the beginning of this workshop, it was started with introduction to TouchDevelop, basics menu, and programming concepts. Afterward, it continued with hands on lab how to implement design in TouchDevelop programming. Lastly, it was closed with presentation about Yogyakarta Cyber Province

Still the same as in previous years, Now YouthSpark brings great theme “Smartcity” that used a variety of development platform. The participants will be invited to create and brainstorm ideas to accelerate growth and initiative of Smart City in Yogyakarta. It is hoped that this event can be a first step for the students in Yogyakarta to launch an innovative and productive culture to face digital competitive era.