David L. Cohen: The Cruel Irony of the 'Digital Divide' and how it's Hurting Philadelphia
Feb 15, 2016 12:30 PM ET
Originally published in Philadelphia Business Journal
For more than a decade, there has been a national debate about how to close the digital divide: the gap between those who are connected to high-speed Internet at home and those who are not. The issue not only has a profound impact on individual families, but also on our region's business owners, economy builders, and employers.
Because of the digital divide, millions of low-income Americans lack basic digital literacy skills that make them unqualified to fill higher-paying, 21st Century jobs. Middle-skill jobs, defined as those that require more than a high school education, but less than a bachelor's degree, comprise 39 percent of U.S. employment.