GREATER SACRAMENTO ECONOMIC COUNCIL
“ DIGITAL UPSKILLING IS AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY TO HELP PROVIDE SOCIO-ECONOMIC LIFT TO INDIVIDUALS AND WHOLE COMMUNITIES AS WELL AS OFFER MUCH-NEEDED WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT FOR EMPLOYERS .”
DR . JOHN JACKSON PRESIDENT , WILLIAM JESSUP UNIVERSITY
forcing an accelerated course . “ The first cohort had a 93 % graduation rate and those individuals have found jobs in an IT or related field with an average starting salary of $ 47,000 ,” confirms Scott Powell , executive vice president of GSEC . “ These are entry-level jobs with career tracks that will offer these learners multiple promotional opportunities to double their earnings over the next few years .”
The pilot program also successfully showed that workforce programs create a greater impact if the training is for in-demand jobs tied to industries that provide a living-wage career . “ Training people in poverty for below-average wages harms the prosperity of the region and makes Greater Sacramento less inclusive ,” Powell says .
Because digitalization has continued to accelerate at a rapid rate due to the pandemic , focusing workforce development on digital skills acquisition works well across all industries . “ Our vision is that the program grows into a regional model and remains skillsfocused based upon the demands of industry in the region ,” Powell says . “ The pilot worked because it was a partnership among educational training providers , community groups , local government and the private sector . Looking nationwide at best practices , you will see these groups at the table with all parties having an eye to employers ’ needs .”
Knowing the program ’ s next phase will require a mix of public , private and philanthropic funding , GSEC will pursue private companies , government , foundations and other sources of funds . The organization is currently forming partnerships necessary to execute another best-in-class program .
Accenture , a global professional services and technology company , placed two graduates of the GSEC pilot program into the company ’ s own 22- week apprenticeship program , which has a 90 % rate of producing full-time Accenture employees . Mark Noriega , head of Accenture ’ s Sacramento offices and a GSEC board member , says , “ Accenture is strongly in support of digital upskilling at all levels and ages to keep people in jobs that are sustainable over time rather than automated out of existence .”
Noriega believes the GSEC program could ultimately be a viable model for other economic development organizations statewide and nationwide . He also believes such programs can lift entire communities . “ There ’ s a lot of opportunity to transform workforce development in the coming years so all communities can benefit rather than just those who have had access to good workforce development programs ,” he says .
When GSEC was actively looking for participants for its pilot program in 2020 , the organization reached out to 3Strands Global Foundation , which has been serving survivors of human trafficking and at-risk populations since 2016 . “( GSEC President and CEO ) Barry Broome approached us , as GSEC recognizes the good work we do and that the Digital Upskill program could be a good fit for some of our clients in need of jobs ,” says Ashlie Bryant , co-founder and CEO of 3Strands .
The retention rate for the 327 clients that 3Strands has placed into sustainable ,
22 comstocksmag . com | December 2021