The Ion, a tech incubator under construction in Midtown's old Sears Building, has received a $1 million boost from Microsoft, Houston officials announced Aug. 24.
The investment comes with a commitment to provide training opportunities for Houston’s workforce to learn the skills necessary to pursue STEM careers through partnerships with University of Houston and Rice University, Microsoft Chief Digital Officer Jacky Wright said.
As the coronavirus pandemic continues to affect the economic outlook of the city, Mayor Sylvester Turner said he views the investment as an opportunity for residents who are out of work to learn new skills to pursue different career paths and underserved residents to gain the digital literacy necessary to join the tech workforce.
“This is about equity,” Turner said. “You can have all the opportunities in the world, but if people don’t have the skill sets, the divide still exists.”
