City Manager Marcus D. Jones signs digital alliance with Microsoft
Creating a workforce of the future
Charlotte is using technology to improve the lives of residents, businesses and visitors. The new agreement City Manager Marcus D. Jones signed with Microsoft President Kate Johnson not only aligns with our sustainability strategy, but it develops us further as a smart city.
“Inspiring innovation and applying data science to make better decisions makes resident quality of life better,” said Jones. “We are excited to work with Microsoft and value their commitment to our sustainable city strategy.”
What is a smart city?
Smart cities use technology like sensors to collect data and use that information to manage resources more efficiently. This connection between data, technology and everyday life is also known as the internet of things. Think of things like how we use existing traffic patterns to reduce congestion.
The agreement makes Charlotte the second city in the nation to take such a comprehensive smart city approach and provides Charlotte with access to Microsoft technologies to improve city services, support digital literacy and promote science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) workforce development.
Aligning with our programs
The alliance ties directly into our workforce development and Career Pathways program, creating job opportunities for all in Charlotte. We’re creating the workforce of the future by creating jobs in growing technology fields. The agreement gives us an opportunity to develop new skillsets and adopt new technology.
The city also committed to community building and improving upward mobility. In addition to existing programs like affordable housing and early childhood education programs, the agreement also supports digital literacy. With digital literacy, we help our community learn how to use new technology to improve their lives.
What we’ll be working on
The City of Charlotte and Microsoft have identified five focus areas for pilot programs that will leverage technology and education to benefit the city’s residents, businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs. These focus areas are:
- Upward mobility for residents
- Smart transit systems
- Public Wi-Fi connectivity
- Public safety infrastructure, and
- Safer neighborhoods.
Throughout this collaborative program, Microsoft will support the city through various volunteer initiatives and will provide hands-on technology training at these events throughout the city. The public-private initiative aims to increase digital skills along the full continuum of the educational pipeline.
