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ERIC Number: ED601774
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2019-Aug
Pages: 17
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Foundational Digital Skills for Career Progress
Hecker, Ian; Loprest, Pamela
Urban Institute
The digitization of work has changed the nature of the skills that jobs require. The increasingly technological nature of jobs means that digital skills are necessary for workers to thrive in the modern workplace and will become even more important. Even occupations that have not traditionally required technology are increasingly demanding it. Much attention is paid to specialized digital skills such as programming and information technology (IT) work, but less specialized (or foundational) digital skills--the ability to use digital tools to complete tasks in various settings--are worthy of attention given their place in nearly all aspects of work. Research shows, however, that many workers and job seekers lack foundational digital skills. Closing this gap requires digital training, especially for adult learners and workers displaced from occupations. Training and education providers need to develop programs that teach job seekers and workers foundational digital literacy. This brief synthesizes research on the rising demand for foundational digital skills and how many adults and out-of-school youth have these skills. We supplement this using interviews with organizations teaching digital skills to people who lack them. This work seeks to inform programs offering job training and employment assistance of the importance of foundational digital skills and that many people lack these skills. We hope this brief will lead to the adoption of foundational digital skills training and a better understanding of the strategies and challenges involved. [This report was prepared by Urban Institute's Income and Benefits Policy Center.]
Urban Institute. 2100 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20037. Tel: 202-261-5687; Fax: 202-467-5775; Web site: http://www.urban.org
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Authoring Institution: Urban Institute
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A