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Tuesday, July 24, 2007 

            

Chamber Launches Working Group on Improving
Digital Skills of America's Workers

 

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Institute for a Competitive Workforce today launched a new Digital Skills Working Group that will seek to equip American workers with the skills they need to operate computers and the rapidly evolving software applications and programs businesses commonly use.

 

"A growing proportion of U.S. jobs require at least a basic level of digital literacy, with many of the best jobs demanding increasing levels of digital fluency," said Arthur Rothkopf, Chamber senior vice president.  "Improvements in the workforce will only come if we can generate commitment and resources outside of current programs and exploit the opportunities for on-line and distance learning." 

 

The Working Group will highlight the importance of "digital skills" in the U.S. economy; work toward a clearer consensus across industry sectors on the definitions of the necessary skill sets; and identify the major opportunities available to U.S. workers to receive effective training in the use of digital skills on the job.   

 

In addition to federally-funded workforce training, many state governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and corporations have programs underway to address parts of the challenge, creating a significant opportunity to consolidate experience, skills definitions, certifications, curriculum, and programs to achieve larger scale and improved performance. 

 

The Digital Skills Working Group is made up of a core group of corporations and associations committed to building a broad coalition to support this work.  Members currently include representatives from Microsoft, Intel, CompTIA, Manpower, Marriott, American College Testing (ACT), Glaxo Smith Kline, and American Association of Community Colleges (AACC).

 

"Digital technologies are transforming industry after industry," said Fred Tipson, Senior Policy Counsel at Microsoft and chair of the Digital Skills Working Group.  "Therefore, businesses need to be clearer with prospective workers about the kinds of skills that will make them more employable and how best to acquire them.

 

The U.S. Chamber is the world's largest business federation, representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector and region.

       

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