{"id":31406,"date":"2021-01-20T12:36:24","date_gmt":"2021-01-20T17:36:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/centricconsulting.com\/?p=31406"},"modified":"2023-09-01T11:35:01","modified_gmt":"2023-09-01T15:35:01","slug":"a-silver-lining-how-the-pandemic-will-help-bridge-the-digital-divide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/centricconsulting.com\/blog\/a-silver-lining-how-the-pandemic-will-help-bridge-the-digital-divide\/","title":{"rendered":"A Silver Lining: How the Pandemic Will Help Bridge the Digital Divide"},"content":{"rendered":"

In this segment of “Office Optional with Larry English<\/a>,” he talks about recognizing how the pandemic can lead to improving the digital divide.<\/h2>\n
\n

The pandemic<\/a> has more greatly exposed workers who have been unable to participate in the digital economy, threatening to leave them further behind. While nearly one-third of American workers lack even “foundational digital skills<\/a>,” a recent Brookings Institution analysis<\/a> found that “digitalization” is increasing across the workforce. In 2016, the number of jobs demanding “high digital skills” rose to 23 percent, up from just five percent in 2002.<\/p>\n

However, I am hopeful. I believe the pandemic may also have a silver lining: It is creating the change and environment necessary to start bridging this digital divide.<\/p>\n

Remote technology<\/a> is a great start. It has already begun breaking down geographic barriers for workers, especially in areas hard-hit by shifting economies. What’s more, in our new all-digital world, the skills employers will increasingly need, such as computer programming, will become increasingly valuable \u2014 people can do them from anywhere, at any time. Workers can now learn the skills they need to participate in a knowledge economy through remote tools\u2014a win for employers and employees alike.<\/p>\n

Still, many workers from nontraditional backgrounds struggle to gain access to technical skills.<\/strong> In St. Louis, Missouri, LaunchCode<\/a> is one organization helping provide access to free software development education for those eager to learn. It then works with companies that need skilled workers to put LaunchCoders<\/a> into jobs. Their mission is simple: to build a skilled workforce.<\/p>\n

Yes, Some Good Things Happened In 2020<\/h2>\n

LaunchCode Executive Director Jeff Mazur told me that like the businesses and workers the organization serves, the pandemic forced them to change their business model overnight. In March, they switched to an all-remote model after seven years of delivering 20 weeks of programming to up to 150 people for six hours a week in a single room.<\/strong><\/p>\n

“We had to learn to train our cohort of students to learn in a virtual setting,” Mazur said. “At the same time, we had to adjust the program to be as effective online as it is in person by increasing the teacher-to-student ratio, spending more time with each student and investing in more remote technology.”<\/p>\n

An additional challenge was overcoming what Mazur called “the imposter syndrome.” The workers LaunchCode serves often don’t feel that they are part of the tech community.<\/p>\n

“It is hard to build that feeling in a virtual environment,” Mazur said, “But it’s not impossible.”<\/p>\n

LaunchCode’s Success Reveals a Path to the Future<\/h2>\n

After less than a year of working with their new model, LaunchCode is succeeding. Not only are their success metrics for the remote class comparable to their in-person success rates, but even more people are seeking them out.<\/p>\n

“In a class with 150 seats to fill, and we may get 1,200 applicants,” Mazur explained. “While some people may do better with the in-person component, many people can succeed in a fully remote, lightly supported model. That allows us to essentially enhance our capacity at very little cost.”<\/strong><\/p>\n

Clearly, the pandemic has created an environment in which a nonprofit like LaunchCode can adapt to deliver their services online and benefit workers in the process. Talking with Mazur gave me hope that this new environment can help for-profit businesses bridge the digital divide, too. Here’s how:<\/p>\n