Microsoft Investing in Rural Tech Jobs, Broadband Projects

Microsoft announced last week it will team up with communities in six states to invest in technology jobs and broadband in rural areas.  The Microsoft initiative TechSpark is a multi-year, multi-million-dollar investment to help teach computer science to students, expand rural broadband and help create and fill jobs, according to AgriMarketing.  The communities involved are here in Washington, as well as North Dakota, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

A Microsoft executive said there are 23.4 million Americans living in rural communities who don't have broadband coverage and the TechSpark program is going to focus on bringing coverage to those six regions.  Further, Microsoft officials say there are nearly 500,000 unfilled computing jobs in the U.S. and that number is expected to triple by the end of next year.

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