Washington State Library provides Workforce Development support to libraries and thier community partners statewide in the areas of digital equity, digital upskilling and reskilling, and adult education. Federal Funds cover .7 FTE for this position.
Loss of federal funding will result in:
- Fewer free certification options available to Washingtonians.
- Example: WSL is discontinuing Adobe Certified Professional among other certifications Summer 2025.
- End to pilot projects that help libraries support job seekers like:
- VR training for skilled trades.
- New resume products like Jobscan.
- Training collaborations between libraries and local community partners.
- Less support available for libraries requesting:
- Help applying for/accessing national, state and local digital equity funding.
- Free software for their staff and patron PCs.
- Support for jobseekers and small business owners.
- Workforce and career coach training for staff.
- Support on teaching foundational tech skills/Digital Navigation.
- This scarcity of resources will disproportionately impact rural communities who rely on support for workforce programs through their local libraries, and Washingtonians statewide who are already affected by the digital divide.