2 days ago
How Columbus is helping residents get tech savvy
Smart Columbus wants to give free digital skills training to 10,000 Central Ohioans by the end of 2027 through a new program announced Thursday.
Why it matters: The nonprofit estimates 75% of jobs will require advanced digital skills by 2030. The employment gap is widening for people without them.
Threat level: Around 80,000 households in the region also lack internet access, and thousands more don't have a device beyond a smartphone.
What they're doing: To close the digital divide, Smart Columbus is launching the ConnectUs Digital Skills Hub.
The collaboration is between 16 community partners that will train residents and give them a free large-screen device, such as a laptop or tablet, upon completion.
Outreach will focus on those facing housing insecurity, older adults, veterans, people with disabilities, students and new Americans.
Flashback: "This problem became unignorable during the pandemic," Smart Columbus executive director Jordan Davis tells Axios. "So many families weren't able to connect to online learning or telehealth or virtual work."
That observation prompted a pilot in 2022 that has since helped 1,000 people with training and free devices.
The latest: The full-scale program features courses taught by leaders of the community partners, including Goodwill, Columbus Metropolitan Library, Columbus State Community College, Jewish Family Services and the New Directions Career Center.
The hope is to tailor the program to the specific needs of their respective communities. For example, immigrants may have different challenges with tech than a group of older adults.
What they're saying: Tech-savvy residents may find tasks like applying for a job or accessing an online benefits portal simple, but Davis emphasizes the difference such skills could make to others.
"People take the basics for granted. Exposing people to the fact that it's okay to acknowledge where you're at and get help is a big part of this awareness journey," he says.
Classes are approachable, because "there's a lot of shame that people carry not knowing how to work technology," he adds.
What's next: The program may be out of the "pilot" stage, but Davis says it will continue to evolve and grow.
