One-third of working-age Americans have limited digital skills, according to the National Skills Coalition, and one in six cannot use basic tools like e-mail or web search, according to a study by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). At the same time, the World Economic Forum says that 75% of future jobs will require digital proficiency and STEM-related skills. In Columbus, the business community is treating this gap as both an access and economic competitiveness issue — and is addressing it with tangible resources.
More than 60 organizations in the Columbus Region have joined forces with the Columbus Partnership’s innovation lab, Smart Columbus, to establish the ConnectUS coalition. The coalition was created to address the digital divide between those who have affordable access to connectivity, devices, skills and support, and those who do not. With supporting organizations spanning industries from healthcare to education, the coalition is focused on the 110,000 Franklin County households that lack a digital device beyond a smartphone. Local corporate partners donate retired and refurbished devices, with the goal of providing 20,000 devices by the end of 2027. Columbus is one of the only U.S. cities where the business community is directly funding and shaping digital inclusion infrastructure.
“This is economic development at a very practical level: getting more computer devices into the hands of people who need access to greater opportunity,” said Jason Hall, CEO of the Columbus Partnership. “As our economy transforms, we need more residents connected to education, training and career pathways that prepare them for the jobs we are working to create in our community. By turning donated devices from the business community, we are helping expand the public-private partnership we started with the public sector. That’s the Columbus Way in action.”
This year, ConnectUS is partnering with I Know I Can, a nonprofit that helps Columbus students explore and pursue college and career pathways, to support students enrolled in the Columbus Promise program, which provides free tuition and support to Columbus City Schools graduates who attend Columbus State Community College. Many of these students graduate high school without access to a laptop to take with them into the next step of their academic journey.
“ConnectUS shows what is possible when the public, private and nonprofit sectors work together to remove barriers for our residents,” said Mayor Andrew J. Ginther. “For Columbus Promise students, a reliable laptop is a way to stay connected, keep moving toward a degree and begin building a future in the city that is investing in them.”
Jazmin Jarrett, a senior at Walnut Ridge High School and incoming Columbus Promise Scholar couldn’t agree more.
“Having my own laptop means I’ll be able to do my schoolwork, keep up with assignments and emails, and stay organized once classes begin,” said Jarrett. “It gives me the tool I need to feel prepared for college and more confident about taking this next step.”
For Jarrett and her peers, receiving a device is a starting point — a gateway to new opportunities in their education and careers. For the Columbus community, it is proof that when businesses, nonprofits and civic partners work together, they can create pathways to success that benefit everyone.
With continued investment and collaboration, ConnectUS is not just distributing devices. It is building a stronger, more inclusive future for the Columbus Region.
To learn more, visit connectcentralohio.com. If your organization would like to donate your retired devices, complete this form.
