Connect Ohio’s innovative ‘Digital Works’ placing area residents into technology-based jobs
LOGAN – Connect Ohio’s Digital Works location in Logan has already placed more than a dozen residents into twenty-first century jobs. Digital Works opened in August at 80 E. Main Street in partnership with Hocking County Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) andFrontier Communications. Digital Works is a technology skills training program providing a link between twenty-first century workforce opportunities and community revitalization. The program provides mentoring and training to workers seeking employment with opportunities for advancement in more technical jobs.
“I came to Digital Works and completed the customer service training, which was excellent; I can use it for any job and it’s a nice way to make some extra money,” said Rick Bauman, Digital Works Logan proctor. “Along the process I found that I have the ability to help people throughout the training and was hired to work for Digital Works as a proctor. I am also in the process of taking the programming part of this training and would eventually like to get into web development.”
Using a digital learning model, the Digital Works program trains, places, and mentors high-quality business process candidates and locates co-working centers in rural America settings where job demand is high, few employers exist, and the cost of living is the lowest. After successfully completing the training, workers are guaranteed placement in a position that matches their skills and interest.
“The Digital Works program is built around the idea of career advancement; we expect a large portion of participants to want to progress beyond the first entry level position that we get them,” said Stu Johnson, executive director of Connect Ohio. “A piece of sustainability for the Digital Works program is based on employees pursuing more training to enter specialized telecommuting fields such as IT, code writing, and technical writing. The Digital Works program trains Ohioans for new positions by teaching these computer skills, allowing for many different avenues of advancement.”
Digital Works is providing an avenue for vacant buildings to become job incubators and retain workers in the area. Nine Digital Works locations have opened across Ohio with additional sites in the process of opening. Currently more than 45 positions have been offered statewide to participants of the Digital Works training program since launching in the summer.
To join the Digital Works training program and start your new career:
Digital works is currently taking applicants for the program, all interested participants can register by calling the Digital Works location at (740) 380-0256 or by completing the online application through: www.digitalworksjobs.org.
# # #
About Connect Ohio: Connect Ohio, a division of Connected Nation, is a leading technology organization committed to bringing affordable high-speed Internet and broadband-enabled resources to all Ohioans. Connect Ohio effectively raises the awareness of the value of broadband and works to improve technology access, adoption, and use through its programs. Connect Ohio is a nonprofit, technology-neutral, public-private partnership. For more information about what Connect Ohio is doing to accelerate technology in Ohio’s communities, visithttp://www.connectohio.org. Follow Connect Ohio on Facebook and Twitter.