Workforce Opportunity Services Aims To Bridge The Digital Divide Through Smart Cities Initiative

Workforce Opportunity Services (WOS)—the leading non-profit organization geared towards aligning individuals from underserved groups with transformative career opportunities—has unveiled a new initiative created to address the growing need to prepare youth and adults to live and work in what are becoming digital-based urban communities. 

According to a report released by McKinsey, the smart city industry is expected to be worth $400 billion by 2020 and the urban population is slated to grow by 65 million people per year. The Smart Cities initiative will provide early-career adults who are a part of this population with education, training, and support to compete as the evolution of smart cities and the Gig Economy shapes the future of the workforce.

WOS will expand its “In the Community” operations by cultivating relationships with middle- and high-schools to expose students to STEM-based curriculums as well as provide support for adults that need to become more digitally proficient in their everyday lives. Through the initiative, WOS aims to equip individuals with practical knowledge of digital technologies so they can play a more active role in their communities.

The Smart Cities initiative aims to:

• Increase the digital literacy of individuals living in underserved communities through providing training with a focus on mastering digital tools and managing their digital presence and participation.
• Engage children in STEM education at an early, developmental stage to equip them with the knowledge they need to further succeed in the field.
• Close the tech skills gap amongst recent high school and college graduates as well as adults who are looking to switch careers.
• Drive economic opportunity, reduce poverty, and create more jobs for at-risk diverse populations.

“The WOS goals are to use digital technology to improve the quality of life for residents and utilize a city’s infrastructure more efficiently through the collection and analysis of data. We know that technology does not fix all problems,” said Addie M. Rimmer, Director, Student Learning, Workforce Opportunity Services. “However, we believe we have a role to play in increasing the digital literacy of our constituents. As employers continue to raise their educational requirements, they also expect employees to be tech savvy. We can help our constituents master digital tools and learn how to manage their digital presence and participation. The end result is a more engaged citizenry.”

About Workforce Opportunity Services

Workforce Opportunity Services (WOS) is a next-generation 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that transforms early career professionals by cultivating their talents. We connect leading companies all over the world with a network of thousands of ready-to-work professionals who reflect diverse communities and customers. Our partners rely on us to recruit, educate, and train employees with the highest potential who will remain committed to their work over the long term.

Every day, we promote upward mobility, professional success, financial independence, and lifelong learning. We are experts in helping companies identify and assimilate the skills of veterans and underserved jobseekers. We offer hands-on support services to ensure that promising employees stay on a steady career path.

Based at Columbia University in New York City, our scientifically-based program offers cutting-edge research and analytics in partnership with top-tier academic institutions. Since our founding in 2005, we have partnered with more than 50 corporations in 35+ locations around the world. For more information, visit wforce.org.