The House Education and Labor Committee recently held a hearing titled “Competencies Over Degrees: Transitioning to a Skills-Based Economy” that examined how federal policies could help facilitate skills-focused education and hiring. In her opening statement, Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) argued for building up alternative pathways for learning and skills attainment, as well as prioritizing skills-based hiring across industry sectors and occupations.

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Goodwill Industries International (GII) representatives joined other stakeholders for a Nonprofit Partnerships Summit at the U.S. Department of Commerce. Officials from the Commerce Department and other federal agencies shared information about their programs, resources, technical assistance, and funding opportunities for nonprofit partners to explore.

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The lack of affordable high-speed internet service in many households has made it difficult for millions of Americans to access virtual learning, find jobs, and participate in the digital economy. Data from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration shows that about one in five U.S. households have no home internet connection. Moreover, historically underserved populations and communities are most acutely impacted by the nation’s digital divide. The Pew Research Center finds that around 40 percent of adults with lower incomes do not have home broadband service or a computer, one quarter of black teenagers say they are at least sometimes unable to complete their homework due to a lack of digital access, and 25 percent of adults ages 65 and older report never going online.

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