WAKE FOREST – In a partnership with the Town of Wake Forest and the W.E.B. Dubois School, RIoT will soon make its first foray into workforce development through the launch of DigitalBridge.

The DigitalBridge program will focus on connecting community members to high-paying jobs and career ladders, according to a statement shared with WRAL TechWire.

According to the organization, more than three million “middle skill” technology jobs in the United States will remain unfilled by trained workers.  That’s due to the lack of available talent to occupy those roles, the organization said in a statement.

But with the program, which provides a free gateway to entry-level roles that could pay between $50,000 and $70,000 annually, then a career path toward future roles paying in excess of $100,000 annually.

And those roles, as well as the training program, can be done remotely, meaning that anyone could join and participate.

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How it works

Here’s how it works, according to RIoT.

First, as these jobs do not necessarily require a college degree, but many do require a technical certification, the program provides a digital skills assessment.

Based on the assessment results, participants in the free program will work with a digital coach to develop a customized curriculum based on industry interests and available jobs.

In addition to the training, and the organization’s help in job matching with employers upon certification and completion of the program, DigitalBridge will provide subsidized computers and broadband connection, thanks to the initiative’s corporate partners.

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Importing jobs

RIoT noted in its statement that this model is a departure from traditional degree-based programs.

On the organization’s platform, DigitalBridge will allow companies to post open job roles for positions that would be based remotely, along with the required certifications for those roles.

That platform, called by RIoT the “Business Outsource Procession” platform, enables the initiative to “import” jobs in the community.

Doing so enables salary to enter local communities, which then can spread through the community.

“Economic development by importing jobs rather than using tax breaks to attract employers,” a statement from RIoT reads.

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