Digital Integrators

Working in Partnership with:

Affordable Housing Ecosystems
Local Workforce Systems
Community Based Organizations
Educators
Employers
Government

The Digital Integrators platform identifies four areas of advancement where human capital can be matched to community need.

Network Infrastructure

Major broadband access gaps require systems integrators, ISPs, public entities, and others to expand their network infrastructure build-outs, particularly in affordable housing and rural areas. Capital investment by public, private, and non-profit entities in smart tech integration and broadband deployment has grown considerably in the last 10 years, with projected expansion of 5G and other new technologies going further into the 21st century. This provides ample opportunities for network construction and maintenance employment in a growing STEM job market.

Creative Economy

One of the greatest barriers to adoption of broadband and digital tools is culture. Digitally-native, culturally-connected youth can be deployed as the makers and distributors of relevant content and serve as digital ambassadors to their communities. Working with the creative services sector within the growing creative economy, Digital Integrators can leverage social impact media and enhanced marketing strategies to advance digital opportunities.

Digital Integrators is an apprenticeship and training platform employing America’s talent to meet the digital needs of society.

Collaborations focus on:

Workforce of Today

Creating apprenticeship and employment opportunities for unemployed and underemployed young people and adults. These work-based learning opportunities will build in-demand skills and connect people to opportunities to earn industry-recognized credentials and family-sustaining wages.

Workforce of Tomorrow

Creating experiential learning and early career exposure opportunities for youth in K-12 secondary education. Initiatives will promote and support community broadband adoption, provide technology training, and open career pathways to high-growth industries.

To build an inclusive digital economy, we must invest in the people and places that rapid technological change and inequitable systems have left behind. Where others see communities in-need, we see communities of promise with unlimited potential to creatively solve for the problems of today and tomorrow in new ways.

America has long needed a comprehensive digital strategy to connect every home and every community to the promise of technology. COVID-19 has made this need more urgent, as the everyday functioning of our society -- how we live, work and learn -- has become increasingly reliant on digital tools to enhance or sustain life. Yet millions of Americans are left out of this new virtual environment, a reality that threatens not only their ability to thrive, but that of our country.

Connectivity is a 21st century essential, as are digital strategies to improve lives in the areas of health, education, and economic mobility. Making these universally available requires financial capital, but also human capital - the ideas and energy of America’s talent.

Advancement Areas

Policy Principles and Recommendations

Broadband for Housing

This is the purpose of Digital Integrators: to design, develop, and execute technology-enabled workforce development strategies that match talent to the opportunity to drive social impact.

In this way, we can unleash the potential of people to transform their communities and earn meaningful skills and credentials to succeed in the growing digital economy.

Health Outcomes

Enhancing quality of life for low-income communities and communities of color can overcome barriers to services and consistent issues impacting their health. Health systems are looking further upstream beyond traditional clinical care to the social determinants of health (SDoH) as a means to reduce costs and improve population health outcomes in a more distributed, networked fashion. An aging population wishing to remain at home requires an even more intentional look at SDoH and connectivity to support telehealth. Community-connected health workers can facilitate care between individuals and families, gather better data for providers, help seniors follow their care plans, and support more independent aging.

Small Business

While enterprise corporations take advantage of their scale and available capital to invest in innovative digital solutions and products including e-commerce to provide an enhanced experience for consumers. Small-to-medium size businesses—drivers of local economic growth and critical parts of societal economic health—are often unable to adopt modern tools and strategies, which are fast becoming prerequisites for business growth and adaptation in the competitive marketplace. Colleges and universities can offer a valuable resource via student consultant teams focused on technology advancement for small businesses in local communities.

This is the purpose of Digital Integrators: to design, develop, and build technology-enabled workforce development strategies that match talent with society's need for progress in a number of areas.