CINCINNATI (March 26, 2024) — United Way of Greater Cincinnati is working hard with more than 100 partners to close the digital divide — the gap between those who have the access and skills to engage online and those who do not.

Research shows that 92 percent of today’s jobs require digital skills, but one-third of workers don’t have foundational digital skills.

For employees, closing the digital skills gap can mean access to more jobs and increased wages.

For employers, closing that gap can mean increased productivity and better customer experiences.

On March 26 at UWGC’s Knowledge Exchange: Policy with a Splash of Coffee, local business leaders spoke about how organizations can help people gain the digital skills they need to succeed. Panelists Delisha Murray, Vice President and Corporate Social Responsibility Manager at Fifth Third Bank; Peter Voderberg, Chief at Broadband Ohio; and Mark Fahner, Vice President of Corporate Development at altafiber shared challenges and possible solutions.

One challenge is that access to high-speed, reliable internet is not available throughout Southwest Ohio, and both rural and urban communities are deeply affected. Other barriers include the cost of home broadband internet service, lack of digital devices and the digital skills that limit community members’ ability to navigate social services and apply for jobs.

For businesses like Fifth Third Bank, digital skills are critical, because banking has become digital. “We need to make sure our employees are educated. Having workshops is a tremendous need,” said Murray. 

For communities like Mt. Healthy, it’s the need for high-speed internet access and partnerships with internet service providers like Broadband Ohio and altafiber. They’ve already helped provide high-speed internet access to underserved communities.

“This (digital divide) issue is greater than us. We can’t solve it alone,” said Murray. “It’s all about partnerships. We have some resources to help in this space, but it’s about being able to bring the appropriate stakeholders together.”

United Way of Greater Cincinnati is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization [Tax ID: 31-0537502]. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.