Wilmington City Council approves $2.5 million in APRA funding for "DigitalBridge" jobs program

Wilmington (NC) City Council unanimously approved spending $2.5 million from federal COVID recovery funds on an employment program to connect residents to tech and digital industry jobs. The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds will help provide digital skills training and job placement services, focusing on what the city calls “high opportunity, high need” census tracts around the city. Wilmington expects that over 17,000 jobs added in the region between 2020 and 2023 will require 'digital skills.' The program, called Digital Bridge Wilmington, is expected to launch early in 2023. While the initial funding will come from ARPA funds, the city expects Digitial Bridge to become self-sustaining over time; potential longer-term funding could come from corporate sponsorships, grants, and other federal funding. StepUp Wilmington, a non-profit employment service, will house the program and "will lean into its extensive local employer relationships and existing outreach channels." Cape Fear Collective will oversee the "Talent Pipeline Management," and will evaluate the services provided, as well as help with curriculum and program development. The Wireless Research Center of North Carolina will oversee the program, service delivery, and budgeting.