Mississippi
Microsoft’s TechSpark project to expand tech in Mississippi
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Lengthy Seashore native and Jackson resident JJ Townsend will spearhead a brand new effort in Mississippi by Microsoft known as TechSpark.
This system is a part of an effort to broaden know-how schooling and enterprise growth in areas like Mississippi which might be brief on such alternatives.
TechSpark was established in October 2017 when Microsoft selected six areas of the U.S. the place it will make investments workers, cash and sources to assist practice right this moment’s employees and put together tomorrow’s leaders.
“Our president, 5 years in the past, noticed a necessity that we are able to do extra round laptop science schooling, broadband and workforce growth in a few of our extra rural, center America areas,” Townsend mentioned. “Since that point we’ve got expanded and have had a whole lot of success and a whole lot of nice issues occur. Increasing to the Jackson space can be a celebration of our 5-year anniversary. So, we get to have a look at the place will we go from right here.”
The last word aim is to not flip Mississippi into Silicon Valley, relatively to guarantee that the area meets its long-term want for a technologically expert workforce.
TechSpark does this by creating applications for residents at each stage of their schooling and profession, Townsend mentioned. Youthful generations may begin studying the right way to program grid coordinates right into a robotic in elementary faculty, take a pc science course in highschool after which full certificates applications at a neighborhood school or college.
An individual who’s already working may discover there may be free coaching out there that can assist them get a better-paying job.
“We’re excited Microsoft selected Jackson to launch a brand new TechSpark initiative,” mentioned Janet Parker, director of enterprise growth and advertising and marketing for Innovate Mississippi in an electronic mail response. “It’s a cool program as a result of it isn’t cookie cutter. They acknowledge that each group has their very own distinctive challenges.
“J.J. Townsend has labored intently with group and financial builders to find out what the wants are particular to our area, and has coalesced all of the sources that exist already to assist us work higher collectively,” she mentioned. “Then, Microsoft is fueling all of that with sources they’ll provide to assist us speed up progress, financial alternative and create new jobs for Mississippians. Finally, we hope this results in attracting individuals to stay and work in Mississippi, resulting in mind acquire as a substitute of mind drain.”
Townsend is a Train for America alum who has classroom expertise and a data of enterprise and nonprofits, reminiscent of when he helped launch the Know-how, Schooling and Literacy in Faculties program in Jackson to assist excessive colleges in constructing laptop science schooling entry. Previous to that, he based Citizenventures, a startup that helps new tech be extra environment friendly.
“We’re going to take a whole lot of the work that has occurred in these different areas and see the place we wish to apply it in Mississippi,” mentioned Townsend, who graduated from Ole Miss with a level in enterprise and a grasp’s diploma in schooling management. “After school, I actually noticed there’s extra I might have performed to introduce myself to laptop science. I believe that’s the place lots of people are.
“At the moment, I actually noticed that want after which I noticed the governor signed the laws making laptop science required in public colleges by 2025. We’ve performed a whole lot of work round laptop science lately that’s thrilling.”
Kate Behncken, Vice President and Lead of Microsoft Philanthropies mentioned TechSpark has seen progress and helped important initiatives come to life in Central Washington; Southern Virginia; Cheyenne, Wyoming; Fargo, North Dakota; Northeastern Wisconsin; and the cross-border area of El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.
“We’re excited to be taught extra about this area and associate with new and present organizations throughout Mississippi to speed up digital fairness and assist inclusive financial alternatives,” Behncken mentioned. “And we’ll do that with a deal with digital expertise coaching and connections to jobs, laptop science schooling broadband connectivity and digital transformation of the nonprofit and startup ecosystem.”
On the similar time, Mississippi employers need to rent extra individuals with sturdy digital expertise as a possible driver of financial restoration and progress. Current evaluation from the Mississippi Financial Council recognized the dearth of certified employees because the No. 1 situation impacting the enterprise local weather within the state.
“We see these challenges throughout the U.S., however we’re satisfied that launching a one-size-fits-all resolution with out regional enter is the incorrect response,” Behncken mentioned. “That’s why we’re fostering tailor-made options that emphasize and construct on the distinctive strengths of every group.”
As an preliminary step, TechSpark has introduced assist for 4 applications:
Jackson State College’s Cybersecurity Readiness program which can assist construct workforce growth alternatives for JSU college students. This system will recruit and practice at the least 100 college students and expose college students to internship alternatives that can present them with sensible real-world cybersecurity expertise.
gener8tor Abilities Accelerator Mississippi: Earlier this month, startup accelerator gener8tor launched a five-week digital and workforce expertise coaching program in collaboration with Innovate Mississippi. This short-term pilot program for unemployed individuals consists of one-on-one profession teaching, technical and office expertise coaching, and entry to native hiring companions with the aim of getting 80% of scholars in new or higher roles inside six months of commencement.
Innovate Mississippi’s CoBuilders Accelerator, which contains a 12-week intensive and structured program designed to speed up the expansion of qualifying startup corporations. Twenty-one founders of home-grown startups are presently present process rigorous coaching on the right way to rework their imaginative and prescient into actuality — and safe funding from traders. Greater than 300 startups utilized to this statewide accelerator program, which culminates in a cohort-wide “pitch day” that takes place on the finish of July.
Jackson Tech District Makerspace: Bean Path, an incubator and know-how consulting nonprofit, helps construct out the primary operational constructing in Jackson’s rising Tech District: a makerspace constructing that can function a group hub for innovation and can host a STEM program for learners and inventors this summer time.