The Department of Commerce Tackles Tech Skill Gap

 

The Department of Commerce's Digital Economy Skills and Training (DEST) program is a public-private partnership that aims to address the skills gap in the digital economy. The program provides funding to businesses, community colleges, and other organizations to develop and deliver training programs that teach workers the skills they need to succeed in the digital economy.

The DEST program has a number of goals, including:

• Increasing the number of workers with digital skills
• Helping businesses find and hire qualified workers
• Promoting economic growth and innovation

The program has a number of initiatives, including:

• The Skills for Business initiative, which provides funding to businesses to develop and deliver training programs for their employees.
• The Community College Technology and Workforce initiative, which provides funding to community colleges to develop and deliver training programs for students and workers.
• The Digital Upskilling and Reskilling Initiative, which provides funding to non-profit organizations to develop and deliver training programs for underserved communities.

The DEST program has been successful in increasing the number of workers with digital skills. In 2021, the program trained over 1 million workers. The program has also helped businesses find and hire qualified workers. In 2022, over 70% of businesses that participated in the Skills for Business initiative reported that they had been able to find and hire qualified workers as a result of their participation in the program.

The DEST program is an important part of the Department of Commerce's efforts to promote economic growth and innovation. By helping workers develop the skills they need to succeed in the digital economy, the program is helping to ensure that the United States remains a global leader in the digital age.

Here are some specific examples of how the DEST program has helped people and businesses:

• A small business in rural Montana used DEST funding to develop a training program for its employees on how to use social media to market their business. As a result of the training program, the business was able to increase its online sales by 20%.
• A community college in California used DEST funding to develop a training program for veterans on how to code. As a result of the training program, 90% of veterans who completed the program were able to find jobs in the technology industry.
• A non-profit organization in New York City used DEST funding to develop a training program for low-income women on how to use computers. As a result of the training program, 80% of women who completed the program were able to find jobs in the technology industry.

These are just a few examples of the many ways in which the DEST program has helped people and businesses. The program is making a real difference in the lives of workers and businesses across the country.