Digital US, a national coalition focused on equipping all U.S. workers with essential digital skills by 2030, today released a report “Building a Digitally Resilient Workforce: Creating On-Ramps to Opportunity” that addresses the country’s digital literacy fault lines likely to worsen as a result of COVID-19. The report lays out a strategic approach to enable the digital fluency of individuals and companies by the end of the decade, which may prove to be a lynchpin in reskilling and economic recovery efforts following the fallout of the novel coronavirus.
“Today, nearly every aspect of labor market participation is digital – from how we upskill and reskill and find and apply for employment, to how we accomplish daily workplace tasks; so it’s vital that we collaborate in new ways to ensure that all Americans have the ability to navigate in a digital environment and thrive in our modern economy,” said Priyanka Sharma with Digital US and coalition partner World Education.
Basic digital fluency is a precursor to more advanced technical skills, and digital literacy is a necessary on-ramp to a livable wage and stable career. “We see first-hand, from our work on-the-ground in states across the US, the importance of helping workers gain new skills in order to get good jobs in the digital economy,” said Beth Cobert, CEO Skillful, a Markle initiative. “Making it quicker, easier and more affordable to acquire those skills is key to opening opportunities and helping our workforce adapt to the new economy.” Creating a workforce with the digital skills employers seek requires a holistic effort and ongoing investment.
