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Microsoft's TechSpark initiative to expand tech education, business development in Mississippi
Long Beach native and Jackson resident JJ Townsend will spearhead a new effort in Mississippi by Microsoft called TechSpark.
The program is part of an effort to expand technology education and business development in regions like Mississippi that are short on such opportunities.
TechSpark was established in October 2017 when Microsoft chose six regions of the U.S. where it would invest staff, money and resources to help train today's workers and prepare tomorrow's leaders.
“Our president, five years ago, saw a need that we can do more around computer science education, broadband and workforce development in some of our more rural, middle America spaces,” Townsend said. “Since that time we have expanded and have had a lot of success and a lot of great things happen. Expanding to the Jackson area is really a celebration of our 5-year anniversary. So, we get to look at where do we go from here.”
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Jackson Tech District Makerspace
Bean Path, an incubator and technology consulting nonprofit, is helping build out the first operational building in Jackson’s emerging Tech District: a makerspace building that will serve as a community hub for innovation and will host a STEM program for learners and inventors this summer.