Digital Equity Advances in Congress: Digital Skills for Today’s Workforce

The “Digital Skills for Today’s Workforce” Act reintroduced in Congress on December 3, 2025, by Senator Kaine (D-VA), Representative Vindman (D-VA-07), and Representative Valadao (R-CA-22), addresses the pressing need for digital skills training to bridge the digital divide. The bipartisan, bicameral bill aims to equip workers with the digital skills necessary to access and succeed in in-demand jobs and will help small and mid-sized businesses meet their hiring needs.

The bill specifically facilitates opportunities for career advancement for workers on the job and provides crucial reskilling opportunities for displaced workers. If passed, the bill will create quality career opportunities for individuals, strengthen businesses, and drive economic growth.

Key Components

1. Reauthorization and Grants: The bill proposes reauthorizing the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) to create new Digital Skills at Work grants administered by the Department of Labor. States or eligible entities can apply for funding to expand digital workplace skills for individuals seeking jobs and individuals looking to advance their career. Priority is given to entities serving individuals with barriers to employment.
   

Why WIOA?

Congress must embed digital skills across landmark federal programs like WIOA to ensure that our economy is ready for technological shifts, such as the proliferation of AI technology. With major digital equity funding frozen by the Trump administration, these dollars will be even more important to ensure that workers can build digital skills for in-demand jobs. While WIOA reauthorization is mostly stalled and unmoving in Congress, the bill introductions demonstrate the bipartisan, bicameral support for digital skills funding and continues to raise the important modernizations we need for our workforce system to Congressional leaders.

To receive grants, entities must submit to the state their plan for Digital Skills at Work grants to align with industry need, plans for partnerships, and alignment with state economic plans, among other requirements.

1. Funding Allocation: Funding amounts are determined based on state population, working-age population, and indicators of low digital and information literacy skills.

1. Competitive Funding: In addition to formula dollars, eligible entities can apply directly for competitive funding through Digital Skills for Today’s Workforce Act. Applicants must demonstrate their capacity to adapt to the current and future labor market by creating opportunities for individuals to gain digital workplace skills.

Importance and Advocacy

The bill addresses the critical need for digital skills training highlighted by National Skills Coalition research indicating that 92% of jobs require digital skills, yet only two-thirds of workers have foundational digital skills. This divide disproportionately affects people of color, low-income people, residents of rural areas, and other communities.

NSC played a pivotal role in advocating for the bill’s introduction. Through groundbreaking research and collaboration with stakeholders, NSC developed the framework for the bill, aligning with the core campaign principles of reskilling and upskilling for all workers. The network then continued to advocate for the introduction of the bill through letters of support to Congress, Congressional briefings, and Capitol Hill meetings.

The bill’s introduction marks a significant milestone in addressing the digital skills divide and advancing access to good jobs. NSC will continue its advocacy efforts around this bill at the Summit, where funding for digital skills will be one of our policy priorities. Register for the Summit and be sure to Contact your legislators encouraging them to cosponsor the bill today!

National Endorsers

National Skills Coalition

Coalition on Adult Basic Education

Hispanic Federation

National Coalition for Literacy

NTEN

Third Way

National Digital Inclusion Alliance

American Library Associations

Mohuman

DAETC

National Immigration Forum

Digitunity

Jobs for the Future

Forum for Youth Investment

Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)

National Collaborative for Transformative Youth Policy

 

State Endorsers

California EDGE Coalition

Virginia Chamber of Commerce

Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce

Prince William Chamber of Commerce

Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce

Northern Virginia Black Chamber of Commerce

Virginia Minority Chambers, Inc.

Virginia Community College System

Bay Consortium Workforce Development Board

Indiana Community Action Poverty Institute

Southeast Community Services

The Arc of Indiana

Indiana Chamber of Commerce

Indy Reads

United Way of Central Indiana

Labor Institute for Training

RecycleForce

EmployIndy

Indy Chamber

R4 Workforce, LLC

Jewish Family Services

The Literacy Cooperative

Godman Guild Association

The Health Collaborative

Towards Employment

Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County

Washington state library

Lehman College Adult Learning Center

Asc3

Mississippi Broadband Association

Digital Ready Hawaii

United Way of Greater Cincinnati