Microsoft and California have partnered up to offer FREE technology training and certification via Microsoft’s "Elevate America" program. This item came to our attention through CNet.

"At a press conference at Microsoft's Silicon Valley office in Mountain View, Calif., Schwarzenegger said that Microsoft has awarded 166,500 vouchers that will be good for technology training," according to CNet.

Governor Schwarzenegger announced the partnership via "webcast" today. If you missed it, the archived video will be available soon on the governor's web site.

Microsoft says, "This initiative provides one million vouchers for Microsoft e-learning courses and select certification exams at no cost to recipients. Elevate America will be implemented in cooperation with states across the country as part of our overall effort to help train two million people over the next three years."

For details on the program, visit the Microsoft Elevate America site.

The California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) is hosting a series of retirement planning fairs this spring to help members plan for a more financially secure retirement.

For more information, click here. You can pre-register for a fair in the “My Education” area of the my|CalPERS member site.

CalPERS staff will present information on benefits, programs, and services that help members plans for a more secure retirement. Retirees will receive information on how to manage and preserve their retirement assets.

Each fair features more than a dozen information tables on topics such as services provided by CalPERS regional offices, CalPERS health benefits, how service credit affects your retirement benefit, and CalPERS Supplemental Income Plans. Representatives from Social Security, and the State Savings Plus Program, the ScholarShare college savings plan will also make presentations.

Each fair features regularly scheduled workshops that are repeated throughout the day where participants can receive detailed presentations on CalPERS benefit basics, CalPERS health benefits, how Medicare interacts with CalPERS health benefits, retirement service credit, Social Security, and the State Savings Plus Program.

Here’s the schedule: