Workforce development is a crucial part of digital equity

As the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) prepares to release the first tranche of state allocations of broadband funds in 2023, one of the statutory requirements mandates workforce development as an important program outcome, especially in the rebuilding and expanding of national infrastructure. The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program has also implemented a number of requirements that, according to its Workforce Planning Guide, are intended to support “the development of an equity-driven telecommunications workforce that offers good jobs and opportunities to workers in America, especially for populations who have been historically underserved by public policy initiatives.” These requirements, paired with the federal appropriations, represent steps toward President Joe Biden’s promise to create ‘good jobs’ under his administration. How the US will implement those requirements is still unknown, particularly given a lack of foresight around what needs to be done to identify, train, and place workers from a variety of work experiences and educational backgrounds. Further, even in markets temporarily funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), these good jobs should be maintained because, in the long run, they provide long-term, transferable skills and livable wages. The pathways for labor market inclusion that they potentially create also benefit workers with limited exposure to broadband sector jobs and without college or advanced technical degrees. Taking advantage of this opportunity will require a whole-sector approach, with state governments, employers, and unions working in concert to engage sidelined workers, develop a taxonomy of broadband jobs, and strengthen social infrastructure to reduce barriers to entry for excluded groups. If they manage to make progress here, the program will have left a valuable legacy and improved economic opportunities in America.