As information technology (IT) has become nearly universal in workplaces, skills in IT are increasingly becoming the focus of many new jobs and, more broadly, a precondition for progress in the knowledge-based U.S. and global economies. For many workers, however, lack of skills, post-secondary degrees, and connections leave them trapped in dead-end jobs, unable to capitalize on the demand for high-skilled labor in an increasingly networked – and exclusive – society. Some research suggests that IT itself acts to exacerbate societal divisions, particularly in high tech regions, by driving the separation of the economy into high-end knowledge analyst and low-skill service jobs, with little in between.
However, a low-wage future is not invevitable for disadvantaged groups. With less complex skills now required for many IT positions than in previous years, opportunities are being created to move large numbers of low-wage workers into entry-level jobs. Innovative community-based organizations – workforce intermediaries – play an important role in making the transition possible for many of those whom the educational system has failed, providing crucial job training programs that help workers cross the digital divide.
The report, Moving Beyond the Divide: Workforce Development and Upward Mobility in Information Technology – a Policy Brief, analyzes the career trajectories of disadvantaged workers who graduated from community-based IT training programs. Using case studies of training intermediaries in the New York, San Francisco, and Washington, DC regions, this study lifts up best practices for helping people cross the digital divide, enter the IT field, and advance in their careers.
Authored by Professor Karen Chapple of the University of California, Berkeley, this brief outlines the context for IT and workforce development, analyzes the role of training programs, including the particular potential of community-based organizations, and concludes with policy implications for employment training. The brief is a collaborative effort between PolicyLink and the University designed to expand the reach of policy-relevant academic research. We hope Moving Beyond the Divide can restart a national conversation about the important role of local providers in training low-skilled job seekers and can bring these issues to the attention of policymakers, advocates, employers, and training providers.
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