Digital Equity is Workforce Equity

In today’s digital world, access to the internet and digital tools is no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity. Whether applying for jobs, accessing healthcare, or staying connected with family and community, digital skills are a foundational part of everyday life. Yet for too many in our communities, these tools remain out of reach.

This lack of access doesn’t just create a digital divide, it deepens existing inequities in economic opportunity and social mobility. Families who are disconnected from technology face significant barriers to employment, education, and essential services, which in turn limits their ability to achieve long-term financial stability. Without the digital skills to navigate online job applications, training programs, or benefits systems, entire households are at risk of being left behind in a labor market that increasingly assumes digital fluency.

Earlier this year, one of those individuals walked through the doors of Auburn WorkSource. A recently laid-off worker who had lost everything and faced homelessness, arrived unsure of where to turn next. The WorkSouce Digital Navigator sat down with him helped him file for Unemployment Insurance, offering one-on-one coaching in computer skills. The Digital Navigator also guided him through crafting a polished resume and cover letter. Over the next several weeks they met regularly, each session replacing doubt with confidence and opening new possibilities.

His journey reflects a much larger reality. As industries across sectors, from healthcare and logistics to education and customer service, rely more heavily on technology, digital literacy has become a baseline requirement for both entry-level and high-wage careers. In fact, a National Skills Coalition study found that 92% of jobs in the U.S. now require digital skills. Employers need workers who are adaptable, tech-savvy, and ready for the demands of a rapidly evolving economy. Meeting this need means treating digital readiness as a core part of job preparation, upskilling, and career advancement, not an afterthought.

The loss of federal and state funding threatens to dismantle this very infrastructure that makes this work possible. These cuts are already reverberating through our communities, disproportionately impacting those who have long faced systemic barriers to opportunity.

Now is the time to act. As federal investments disappear, we must double down on local and state leadership, philanthropic investment, and public-private collaboration. Bridging the digital divide must be treated as a core public priority, interwoven with economic development, education, and job training strategies. Without this shared commitment, we risk leaving millions behind in a digital economy that is moving forward without them.