City of Houston Announces Multi-Million-Dollar Partnership with Microsoft for Digital...

City of Houston Announces Multi-Million-Dollar Partnership with Microsoft for
Digital Literacy and Workforce Preparedness

Houston Public Library Digital Inclusion Initiative to Benefit from Large
Microsoft Corp. Donation

HOUSTON, April 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Mayor Bill White, Microsoft Corp., and the
Houston Public Library (HPL) today announced a $4.5 million grant benefiting
WeCAN Works, an innovative digital literacy and workforce preparedness effort
recently launched as part of the Houston Digital Inclusion Initiative Wireless
Empowered Community Access Network (WeCAN), www.houstonwecan.org. The
Microsoft Unlimited Potential grant, awarded to the Houston Public Library
Foundation for WeCAN Works, includes $4.3 million in software and $200,000 in
cash over a two-year period.

The Houston Digital Inclusion Initiative estimates that more than 160,000
underserved and unskilled Houstonians will be impacted by this program over
the two-year period. WeCAN Works will offer digital literacy training, job
readiness training, internships, GED programs, career counseling, and job
referrals and placements. Additionally, hundreds of city and community
organizations citywide will benefit from a host of licenses and educational
and productivity software provided through the grant.

"The ability of all Houstonians to access and use digital technology is
important if our city is to remain at the top of the list at attracting
business," said Mayor White. "Just as importantly, the ability to stay in
touch with loved ones, to learn, or to browse the market place is important to
us all and adds to the quality of life here. Through the Digital Inclusion
Initiative and the WeCAN Works program, Houston has just that much more to
offer."

"Microsoft has a long-standing relationship with the Houston community," said
Microsoft's Gail Thomas-Flynn, General Manager of State and Local Government.
"We believe that digital literacy tools and resources will help to unlock the
career potential of all Houstonians."

WeCAN Works partners include the City of Houston, the Houston Public Library,
Microsoft Corporation, the Houston Independent School District (HISD), the
Houston Community College System (HCC), Workforce Solutions and the Greater
Houston Partnership (GHP). WeCAN Works will offer three Tracks of programming
in cooperation with partner organizations:
-- Track I will target, place, and train at-risk high school students to
prepare them to enter the workforce in a high-demand, high-growth
field.
These high school students will receive digital literacy training, MOS
and A+ certifications, career counseling, apprenticeships, and
mentoring.
-- Track II will target unemployed and underemployed youth and adults who
do not have a high school diploma for classes to prepare them for the
General Equivalency Diploma (GED) Certification test; in addition,
these
participants will receive digital literacy training, career counseling
and job placement assistance.

-- Track III will provide digital literacy and workforce skills training,
to underserved populations in high-need communities to improve quality
of life. These services will be offered at HPL locations, established
WeCAN community access locations, and on-site at partner
organizations.
WeCAN Works will establish this innovative program as a model in
workforce readiness for other cities to emulate.

For more information about WeCAN Works, call 832-393-1313 or visit
http://www.houstonwecan.org. For more information on Microsoft's Digital
Inclusion initiatives, visit
http://www.microsoft.com/industry/government/digitalinclusion.mspx.

SOURCE City of Houston

Blanca Quezada, Sr. Communications Specialist, +1-832-393-1382,
blanca.quezada@cityofhouston.net; or Sandra Fernandez, Manager of Public
Relations, +1-832-393-1381, sandra.fernandez@cityofhouston.net