In this episode of Work in Progress, we discuss the impact of closing the digital divide, how it can connect learners, workers, and jobseekers to new opportunities for economic mobility, and how it could can new jobs around the country.

Joining me in the conversation recorded at the Connected America conference in Dallas are Gary Bolton, president & CEO, Fiber Broadband Association; Eric Frederick, chief connectivity officer, State of Michigan; and Robin Olds, broadband program officer, Cisco.

Millions of Americans lack reliable or affordable broadband access, which puts them at a disadvantage for education, work, and health care. Closing the digital divide is critical to enable economic mobility and growth, especially in rural and underserved areas. Without reliable, affordable broadband access, many will continue to be left behind, according to my guests.

The federal government has allocated over $42 billion to help states build broadband infrastructure and create adoption/training programs. For example, Michigan is using these funds to connect unserved communities, while also focusing on digital inclusion by making broadband affordable and teaching people how to use it.

Expanding broadband will create economic opportunities, boost rural GDP, and enable access to remote work and telehealth. However, there is a shortage of trained fiber optic technicians needed to build the infrastructure. Companies like Cisco are helping to fill this workforce gap by providing training programs and working with communities and service providers to deploy broadband solutions.

Listen to the conversation here or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find our podcasts on the Work in Progress YouTube channel.

Episode 362: Closing the Digital Divide with Gary Bolton, Eric Frederick, and Robin Olds
Host & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNation
Producer: Larry Buhl
Theme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4
Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode here
Work in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here