State

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 Pl

The US Treasury just gave California more than half a billion dollars to fund broadband buildout. This money may help reduce the digital divide. It also might not.

Broadband officials have been hitting the road in 2023, conducting listening sessions across their states and territories.

Patrick Redmond, Nebraska’s interim broadband director, described his workspace as “an office of one.” Given the Nebraska Broadband Office was just created in January 2023, he said “there’s a big learning curve” in tackling the broadband landscape. One order of business is to get the state’s broadband maps up and running. Redmond said Nebraska has been working with a vendor since February 2023 to develop a map prototype.

Governor Kathy Hochul (D-NY), through the New York State Department of Labor, is launching a new, free digital literacy program to help job seekers gain the skills they need to be more marketable to employers. The program is available through a partnership with Northstar Digital Literacy to assess job seekers’ computer skills and help them build knowledge in areas sought after by businesses. According to a 2022 survey, 44 percent of responding businesses said basic computer use and computer literacy were common skills lacking among job applicants and new employees.

 The Washington State Broadband Office has awarded over $121 million in grants for 19 broadband construction projects that will deliver reliable, high-speed internet access to unserved and underserved communities across the state. Demand for the grants exceeded available funds by 261% – 50 different projects requested more than $316 million.

The US Department of the Treasury approved federal funds for multi-purpose community facility projects and broadband infrastructure projects in Delaware and Idaho under the American Rescue Plan’s (ARPA) Capital Projects Fund (CPF). A key priority of the CPF program is expanding economic opportunities and providing internet connectivity in communities with unmet needs. The following descriptions summarize the Idaho and Delaware plans that Treasury approved:

Governor Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) announced more than $59.5 million in grants through the Virginia Telecommunications Initiative (VATI) for 14 projects serving 20 localities throughout Virginia. The VATI program provides targeted funding to extend service to areas that are presently underserved by any broadband provider. The goal of VATI is to create strong, competitive communities throughout the Commonwealth by preparing those communities to build, utilize, and capitalize on telecommunications infrastructure.

The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) commited $133 million in funding to broadband Internet projects in the second application cycle through the Broadband Opportunity Program. The program was created to expand broadband Internet service to unserved areas of this state, which will encourage job creation, capital investment, and the strengthening and diversification of local economies.

Like most states, Ohio has its own approach to bolstering broadband accessibility. One area where Ohio is seeing progress, Lt. Governor Jon Husted (R-OH) said, is in enhancing its broadband workforce. Lt. Gov Husted, who also leads Ohio’s Office of Workforce Transformation, explained Ohio State University (OSU) has developed a curriculum for 5G and high-speed internet expansion, which can be used by other colleges and universities as well as the private sector.