National Skills Coalition (NSC) in partnership with the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta released Closing the Digital Skill Divide, a real-time snapshot of demand for digital skills in the US labor market. The analysis finds that 92% of jobs analyzed require digital skills. Previous NSC research found one-third of workers don’t have the foundational digital skills necessary to enter and thrive in today’s jobs. Together, these findings point to a significant digital skill divide. This report also found that public investments in closing this digital skill divide can generate measurable economic payoff for businesses, workers, and the broader economy.
Closing the Digital Skill Divide finds strong demand for digital skills across every industry (dispelling misconceptions that demand exists primarily in the tech sector) and in almost every occupation, including entry-level and frontline positions. The report also finds that the digital skill divide disproportionately impacts workers of color, low-income individuals, and rural residents, due to historic underinvestment and structural inequities.
The findings come at a pivotal moment as states plan to implement the historic $2.75 billion Digital Equity Act, part of the bi-partisan infrastructure law. The program provides funding to advance digital equity among populations most impacted by the digital divide.
The findings suggest that states that target resources toward digital skill building could generate measurable monetary benefits.
View the fact sheets for your state here:
California Digital Divide Fact Sheet
Colorado Digital Divide Fact Sheet
Florida Digital Divide Fact Sheet
Georgia Digital Divide Fact Sheet
Illinois Digital Divide Fact Sheet
Indiana Digital Divide Fact Sheet
Maine Digital Divide Fact Sheet
Michigan Digital Divide Fact Sheet
Nevada Digital Divide Fact Sheet
New Mexico Digital Divide Fact Sheet
North Carolina Digital Divide Fact Sheet
Ohio Digital Divide Fact Sheet
Pennsylvania Digital Divide Fact Sheet
Tennessee Digital Divide Fact Sheet
Texas Digital Divide Fact Sheet
Utah Digital Divide Fact Sheet
Washington Digital Divide Fact Sheet
Wisconsin Digital Divide Fact Sheet
View the Closing the Digital Skills Divide webinar: https://nationalskillscoalition.org/resource/webinars/closing-the-digital-skill-divide-the-payoff-for-workers-business-and-the-economy/
