| 1 | BIRMINGHAM, Ala. |
| 2 | The City of Birmingham is partnering with Microsoft Corp. to support education and entrepreneurship in the technology industry. |
| 3 | Mayor's spokeswoman April Odom said in a release Tuesday that the Birmingham Division of Youth Services will work with the city's school district to implement DigiGirlz, a Microsoft program that teaches high school girls about careers in technology. |
| 4 | The program includes workshops and meetings with Microsoft employees. |
| 5 | City officials say Birmingham will also launch the DreamSpark program, which offers access to Microsoft software for learning, teaching and research and BizSpark, which provides free software, support and more to local startup businesses. |
| 6 | Officials say the partnership is in response to demand for jobs in the technology industry that require specialized training. |