On-demand Tech Support Is Opening Doors

Lack of digital skills keeps people from learning, improving, and making more money. (Horrigan 2020). Government data shows that inclusivity in tech employment is a challenge too. The Baltimore Digital Equity Coalition (BDEC) solves both challenges with a scalable Hotline that is deployed from anywhere and serves anyone with on-demand tech support.  It changes lives in three ways: It breaks down barriers to employment, by providing adult learners on-demand tech support. It provides gateway IT jobs for underrepresented groups. It brings Baltimore’s IT world together in a single, synergistic effort to make Baltimore a digital city, by making residents digital first.

Once scaled, the hotline helps some of 36 million unemployed Americans without college degrees, gain employable soft and hard skills and ultimately upward mobility through high wage jobs. Adult learners earn certifications that provide employers with performance-based evidence of job skills and become reliable proxies for degrees and experience.

The Hotline solves problems for two groups of jobseekers simultaneously: the first involves increasing the digital literacy of new online learners; the second, providing digital job skills and experience for participants of IT workforce training programs. The scale of the problem is national, and could impact 36 million Americans. Locally, it affects 10% or 61K Baltimore jobseekers. As a result of COVID, both jobs and learning have pivoted to remote platforms, imposing new challenges for adults without digital skills, college degrees or job experience. According to Digital Promise, digital literacy is defined as the ability to find, evaluate, utilize, share and create content using information technologies and the Internet. About 16% of working age US adults, 16 to 65, lack the basic digital literacy skills necessary to find well-paying jobs and navigate public and social systems (Sources: OECD; PIAAC; Digital Promise). These adults are identified as being less educated, older and more likely to be African American, Hispanic or foreign born (Source: OECD). Moreover, they have lower participation rates in the labor force and tend to work in lower skilled jobs (Source: AIR; NCED, 2018)—which means they are also low-income and/or live below the poverty line. 

BDEC’s core solution is providing on-demand tech support for groups that would otherwise be left behind in the pandemic era. Here’s how it works: adult learners call the Hotline and request help to troubleshoot software or hardware issues, including navigating apps and programs. The call, email or chat message is answered by Interns, supervised by IT professionals. The team uses strict customer service protocols. 

The Tech Support Hotline increases digital literacy among adult learners enrolled in online education and workforce development programs by providing on-demand, one-on-one assistance. Simultaneously, the Hotline creates jobs, providing experience and mentorship for IT workforce trainees, particularly those of color. 

The Hotline can be easily scaled and replicated. It uses an automatic assignment, omnichannel help desk ticketing platform, and is able to queue, transfer and monitor calls, among other functions.  It has a multi-layer server and secure module for online reporting and access to reports. 

The Hotline is live-answer, operates Monday through Friday, from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. A full-time coordinator manages the Hotline. It’s staffed with a team of interns recruited from IT training programs like NPower Maryland and Byte Back. Seasoned IT professionals volunteer from 50+ organizations as supervisors.

The Tech Support Hotline serves two target populations: 1) adult learners enrolled in online education and workforce development programs; 2) interns enrolled in IT workforce training programs. 

The adult learners are working age adults, 16 to 65, who lack the basic digital literacy skills necessary to find well-paying jobs, and as a result of COVID, are required to use online programs to receive job training.  They also lack college degrees, are disproportionately represented by older adults and communities of color, have lower rates of participation in the labor force, and tend to work in lower skilled job.  Interns are 18-25-year-olds without college degrees who are enrolled in tech certification programs.

To understand the need for technical support and training, BDEC administered a Tech Support Survey to Baltimore-based adult education and training nonprofits: 23 of 100+ entities responded: 96% had shifted to online courses and services; 53% did not have support. 

Targets are engaged through ongoing coaching, mentoring and supervision. The Hotline helps adult learners improve digital literacy and earn online course certificates, while providing practical, on-the-job training for IT interns, helping them become full-time desk support technicians. Both populations are provided with pathways to equitable job opportunities and gainful employment.

The Hotline is well-aligned to the Challenge. It increases: 1) access to non-degree employment pathways for those transitioning to online learning or into new careers; 2) access to skill-building and training opportunities for those entering the workforce, transitioning, or facing unemployment; and 3) matches IT industry needs with diverse jobseekers, adult education providers and workforce development programs. COVID and other factors disproportionately disadvantage non-degreed, unskilled and inexperienced populations, typically low-income, communities of color who lack basic digital skills necessary for well-paying jobs. Our solution is inclusive, equitable, responsive to employer needs, and creates pathways to succeed in our digital economy.  

The Hotline benefits from the full weight of the 50+ member BDEC. BDEC has a robust Digital Skills and Training Committee made up of 4 tech workforce training development nonprofits that collectively provide strategic vision for the Hotline and hold it accountable.  NPower Maryland, a national organization and Committee Member, sponsor the Hotline on behalf of BDEC and its Training and Technical Support Committee.  The current staff count for Year One is: 1 full-time Hotline Coordinator; 1 Operations Director; 2 IT Interns; 10 volunteer IT Professionals; and to soon include 1 Sales and Marketing person.

The Baltimore Digital Equity Coalition (BDEC) is a 50+ member nonprofit coalition that connects committed Baltimore-based organizations to coordinated efforts that advance digital equity and close the digital divide. Initially formed as a “rapid response” effort because of COVID-19 crisis, the Coalition acknowledges the deep-rooted and systemic history of digital inequity, and aims to close the digital divide in Baltimore by providing: Access to Devices: ensuring there are affordable, available and sufficient devices for all historically under-represented residents, small businesses and community organizations; Greater Internet Connectivity: ensuring sufficient options for affordable and available internet connectivity for all; Digital Skills Training and Technical Support: creating and delivering educational opportunities for all residents, and ensuring there is technical support available to all who need it; and Advocacy: engaging elected officials, civic leaders, and citizens most affected by the digital divide to advocate for equal access to computers, internet connectivity, and digital literacy.

The Hotline offers free, on-demand digital support to low-income adult learners with little or no digital access. This makes a new dimension of performance possible because learners are secure in knowing that they can get support when they need it, and are less intimidated by technology. One adult learner described their experience with an intern: He was extremely helpful and patient as he instructed me how to make several changes and conversions to my computer. It was a very comfortable feel and I felt empowered instead of stupid and helpless. I was so completely satisfied by the time we finished. Not getting the right help in a timely fashion may cause adult learners to lose confidence, and abandon an effort to self-improve. 

Pairing IT trainees with seasoned IT professionals who serve as mentors is another innovation, and involves greater capacity for self-reliance and leadership from the start of the trainees’ careers. Supervisors facilitate this process, illustrated by this recommendation that resulted in a trainee getting an analyst job for UMMC: The intern displayed great talents in technical assessment and diagnosis of issues as well as superior customer service skills. His understanding of what is expected of an end-user technical support agent quickly grew. 

Our solution has few competitors:  Computer Solutions and Charm City Tech Group, are for-profit businesses offering remote support for others who pay costly subscriptions. Our goal is to solve the workforce development needs of low-income jobseekers by hiring large numbers of trainees for our customers.

The Tech Support Hotline is using existing technology called Zendesk.  BDEC recognizes the need for using tried and tested technology to power our solution. For our adult learner customers, a familiar platform creates a greater comfort level and less intimidation; while our IT interns have the opportunity to train on reliable, high tech software.

Zendesk is an automated help desk ticketing platform and omnichannel solution that integrates in a single interface, customer phone calls, live chat messaging, emails, and organizes and manages knowledge bases. Typically, it is used by businesses that offer software solutions to facilitate more efficient customer service.  Our solution will be using Zendesk to operate the Hotline by managing incoming phone calls, live chat messaging and emails from adult learners with technology support needs. The subscription will also facilitate information share and exchange via dashboards, so we can monitor and improve user (e.g., adult learner) experience. Moreover, Zendesk relies on Artificial Intelligence to streamline processes that boost productivity, and will allow us to remain agile and quick as support requests increase.  Further, it can easily scale as our customer base increases and we scale.  

Zendesk is an existing and reputable automated help desk ticketing platform that offers an omnichannel solution to integrate in a single interface, customer phone calls, live chat messaging, emails, and organizes and manages knowledge bases.  Zendesk is used by both off and online tech companies alike, such as Stanley Black & Decker, Ingersoll Rand, TESCO, OpenTable, Venmo, Slack, Uber and Shopify. Here is a link to a Video and its Demo and a Free Trial.  The technology is currently being used at the BDEC headquarters in Baltimore.

To supplement this evidence, we also offer a testimonial from the Hotline Coordinator.  The Coordinator writes: I have listened to every call that comes across the helpdesk line, and most are very appreciative knowing that this hotline was launched due to their specific need for support. The fact that people can now put into action and have assistance with the resources that was once only available by contacting 211, from what I hear on these calls, is invaluable and much appreciated. Knowing that they can contact us and get live assistance with things like signing up for GED classes, getting job training at little to no cost, receiving help with actually setting up low cost internet to remain connected and getting to the right folks that can actively assist with getting devices in their hands, they are pleased and grateful their needswere heard and are being met.

Theory: IF BDEC hires IT trainees supervised by professionals to deliver on-demand tech support to low-income adults, BDEC will help build a working class with more earnings and employability, while creating gateway IT jobs for more people of color. 

Activities: BDEC is investing the staff power, resources and expertise of 50+ member organizations to close the digital divide. Through smart program design, BDEC created a first-in-kind Tech Support Hotline for low-income adults who were otherwise without a lifeline to access education and employment during the pandemic.  BDEC uses Zendesk, a help desk ticketing platform, and raises funds to ensure program sustainability.

IT training programs supply interns to staff the Hotline. BDEC supplies volunteer IT professionals as supervisors. Adult literacy programs—the piloting partners—help advertise and refer leaners.  Learners contact the hotline to get on-demand tech help as they learn online, search for work, or apply new digital skills on the job. Evaluators administer and report evidence-based measures.

Outputs: BDEC seeks to hire 8 interns, paired with 3 IT professionals, to resolve 3600+ annual tickets from 1500 adult learners initially and more as the service expands.

Links: Results of a preliminary Tech Support Survey that BDEC administered to adult education and training program participants revealed that nearly all have shifted their programs to online platforms but more than half could not provide the support their participants needed.  As a result of current IT training programs: the vast majority graduate (80%), get jobs or continue their education (81%), and obtain at least one online tech certificate (91%). The results are gainful employment: they earn $40,000+ in entry-level IT jobs with career advancement opportunities. In markets where we offer Cybersecurity, they earn $60,320 on average.  

Outcomes: As a result, short-term outcomes will include:

• Learners reporting greater confidence to tackle digital questions and openness to using technology to solve other needs.
• Adult learning programs reporting higher program completion rates.
• IT programs reporting increased certification rates, for CompTIA, for example.

Long-term outcomes include learners and IT trainees demonstrating:

• Growing job responsibilities;
• Greater earnings; and 
• Gainful employment—especially tech.

Our impact goals for the Tech Support Hotline involve the expansion of both the geographic target area and the target group.  This will take place within the next two to five years. Within the next year, in addition to adult learners, the Coalition plans to extend Hotline support for individual users in underserved areas, any nonprofit, and small businesses—especially local M/WBEs or those focused on workforce development.  This service is also aligned with our revenue model, and will be a fee-for service to help sustain the Hotline. As with adult learners, the Hotline will provide one-on-one assistance for those having trouble with hardware issues, connection troubleshooting, installing software, navigating programs and interfacing with social media. Our solution is expected to help grow the economic viability of organizations, create jobs and maintain the stability of the local workforce. 

With MIT Solve’s Support, we seek to triple our user base as we move from prototype to pilot. We currently serve up to 500 users resolving up to 665 tickets. The program has much greater capacity, however. By year two, it should serve 1485 users and resolve about 3600 tickets annually. The model is high volume and low-cost: $2.50 monthly for individuals and $75 monthly for a small-tier business.

Numerous related skill sets, including sales and marketing, would support growing the user base and represent additional workforce development opportunities. Within the next five years, we seek to replicate the Hotline in a second market, particularly Detroit. 

The primary barrier that may limit our impact in the next year is the ability to collect, track and monitor long-term outcomes for adult learners. Currently, there is no mechanism in place to follow-up with hotline callers either short or long-term.

We also anticipate barriers to replicating and scaling our solution to additional cities nationally in the next five years. We seek MIT Solve’s assistance with developing strong protocols in the disciplines that will support the expansion of our core service, such as sales and marketing.  We know for example, that financial viability is one of the most fundamental challenges that pilot programs and startups face.  We seek support to test the model and its assumptions, ensuring that it can reasonably withstand external economic pressures, such as recession. We are particularly interested in scaling.  NPower and Per Scholas both operate in Detroit and BDEC networks with digital equity leaders in Detroit. Ensuring the appropriate timing of scaling, however, will be crucial. 

The project plans to overcome these barriers by anticipating and planning for them, adhering to best practices and working with our Coalition and other partners to provide resources and expertise.  For the evaluation component, we will develop and implement an evaluation plan that will include follow-up: phone surveys for short-term outcomes; and online surveys (e.g., SurveyMonkey) for long-term outcomes.

Equally important, is our ability to ensure project sustainability by building revenue from paid subscriptions; mastering sales and marketing expertise; creating and maintaining the necessary infrastructure, both human and technological, to support the project; continuing to identify the market demands and the needs of communities and populations targeted by our project; and adapting and evolving our project design, delivery system and implementation strategies to meet these needs and demands.  

We will also identify and adhere to best practices for replicating and scaling projects.  As summarized by CASE, these include: involving partners and key stakeholders during planning and implementation; defining lines of authority and responsibility that align with existing structures; identifying skills and values critical to making our project successful; identifying funding strategies that consider both external and internal sources; prioritizing investments in systems infrastructure to ensure strong systems; and planning for the necessity of multi-faceted interventions that address multiple barriers at the same time.  

The Tech Support Hotline was designed in March 2020 and launched in August 2020. Our evaluation plan includes collecting both formative (process) and summative (outcomes) data.  

Currently, we collect data on the number and percent of: 

• resolved help desk tickets 
• IT interns who complete a 7-week internship with the Hotline
• adult learners who report improvement in digitally literacy
• adult learners who become certified in an online course/s
• IT interns who become IT certified (e.g., CompTIA, etc.)
• adult learners and IT interns who are promoted on the job
• adult learners and IT interns who receive a salary increase
• adult learners and IT interns who became gainfully employed
• adult learners and IT interns who became gainfully employed in the tech industry

Additionally, we would like to be able to track the following short- and long-term outcomes data, and see an increased in the number and percent of:

N/A

Baltimore ranks ninth in new tech startups and fifth in the concentration of private sector tech jobs; 80% come from high poverty areas and 83% are Black/African American. As part of a 50-member Baltimore-based Coalition that helps advance digital equity and close the digital divide, our Team is well positioned to provide digital skills training and technical support.  IT workforce development organizations like NPower, Byte Back, and other members like the Tech Policy Institute, Baltimore Robotics Center, Baltimoreans for Education Equity: 

• create job opportunities and high-pay equity historically overlooked communities
• develop and offer solutions that coalesce nontraditional jobseekers with training programs and employers seeking IT talent
• use feedback from multiple corporate partners to ensure curricula and certifications prepare students for the widest net of IT jobs
• provide multiple paths for advanced IT coursework and certification
• equip students for industry-recognized CompTIA
• provide paid internships with IT, business or corporate and nonprofit partners 
• create a pipeline of qualified, diverse talent; and 
• create a bridge to opportunities

Moreover, members quickly adapt, expand and scale up.  For example, in response to Maryland's transition to a US Cybersecurity Center and Tech Hub, NPower scaled up their Cybersecurity operations to serve 500+ under-resourced adults.  And the vast majority of NPower students graduate from their programs (80%), get jobs or continue their education (81%), and obtain at least one online tech certificate (91%). The results: they earn $40,000+ in entry-level IT jobs with career advancement opportunities. In markets where Cybersecurity is offered, they earn $60,320 on average.  

BDEC is a 50-member nonprofit coalition that helps advance digital equity and close the digital divide.  Partners can be found here: https://digitalequitybaltimore....  Among others they include the Baltimore Workforce Funders Collaborative, Byte Back, Center for Urban Families, Central Baltimore Partnerships, Community Development of Network, Digital Harbor Foundation, Baltimore Mayor's Office on Employment Development, NPower, Greater Baltimore Urban League, Tech Policy Institute, South Baltimore Learning Center, etc.

The Coalition works with the South Baltimore Learning Center and Strong City Baltimore Adult Learning Center, to refer adult learners; and NPower and Byte Back to recruit interns for our Hotline. Additionally, they partner with 45 adult learning and workforce development programs that have transitioned to or increased virtual programming, and expect to serve thousand more in online learning courses, and soft and hard job skills training programs. 

To hire interns and graduates, we utilize member partnerships with corporations like Northrop Grumman; TD Ameritrade; Protenus; Catalye; Leidos; LinkedIn; Concentrix; BAE Systems; Kite Technologies; Under Armour; University of Maryland; BioPark; Cvent; Kaiser Permanente; Hewlett Packard. Maximus.  For labor market and employment expertise, we work with the Mayor's Office on Employment Development. 

For support with our technology innovations and expansion, we collaborate with Baltimore Robotics Center, Hack Baltimore and PCs For People. To bring education into the equation, and utilize as schools as potential feeders, we collaborate with Code in the Schools, Maryland Alliance of Public Charter Schools, Maryland Coalition for Community Schools, Baltimore City Public School, Baltimoreans for Educational Equity, Coppin State University. 

Our business model consists of free workforce development services and training in the tech industry.  Our services add value by helping student build in-demand skills and preparing for high-wage, high-equity jobs in the IT industry.

Key Resources: full-time Coordinator and part-time Operations Director.

Partners/Key Stakeholders: Baltimore Digital Equity Coalition and national partners; IT workforce development agencies; adult learner providers; online course providers

Key Activities: development: customer service protocols, FAQs, user surveys, usage reports, marketing materials; operations management: staffing schedules, supervision’ service delivery; evaluation: including survey development, administration, analysis and reporting; expansion plans: scope, scale, cost structure, etc.

Type of Intervention: support service: 8-hour automated help desk ticketing platform

Channels: users are reached through Coalition, partners, web-based advertisements, and education, outreach, recruitment, referral and marketing activities.

Segments: there are two beneficiaries: low-income, non-degreed adult learners and IT Interns 

Value Proposition: free, one-on-one tech support provided by IT interns, for underserved populations who face socio-economic barriers and want access to high-wage, high-growth careers.

Cost Structure: Costs cover two years: Year-One Startup costs are estimated at $167,107.94; Year-Two Expansion costs are estimated at 309,649.18.  Total costs are $476,757.12. The largest expenditures are for personnel salaries and benefits. These will increase when the project goes to scale.  

Surplus: $378,117; will be used to establish business with full-time, year-round staff.

Revenue: $1.6 million over two years; Sources: grants and earned income. 

The Coalition sustainability plan includes earned income (i.e., fee for services by individual user and by tier for organizations based on size), private foundation and corporation grants (e.g., Abell, Annie E. Casey and Weinberg Foundations), national, regional and local fundraising campaigns and events (e.g., demonstration projects), and public funding opportunities at the state and federal levels.  

The Coalition envisions growing our user base and staff over the two years.  We estimate serving 1000 adult learners, and about 50 nonprofits and 200 small businesses.  This will increase our revenue for the Tech Support Hotline by 100% from Year One to Year Two. In total, we estimate earned income to provide $690,000 or 43% of the total revenue; and grant funds to provide $918,000 or 57% of the total revenue.

To date, funds committed to this project total $128,000. Tech Support Hotline funders currently consist of: 

• Annie E. Casey Foundation: $25,000 grant, pending 
• Abell Foundation: $13,000 grant, pending
• Weinberg Foundation: $15,000 grant, pending
• United Way of Central Maryland: $50,000 grant, pending
• Kaiser Permanente, $25,000 grant, awarded, 2020

The Coalition plans to secure upward of 1.6 million over a two-year period. Of this amount, we seek approximately $918,000 in grants funds. The remaining funds will be secured through earned income, private donations and events. Estimated revenue for the Tech Support Hotline is divided into two years: 1) Year One Startup; and 2) Year Two Expansion. For the full two years we plan to secure an estimated $1,608,000 in grants and service fees. 

To date, funds committed to this project total $128,000. Tech Support Hotline funders currently consist of: 

• Annie E. Casey Foundation: $25,000 grant, pending 
• Abell Foundation: $13,000 grant, pending
• Weinberg Foundation: $15,000 grant, pending
• United Way of Central Maryland: $50,000 grant, pending
• Kaiser Permanente, $25,000 grant, awarded, 2020

Total revenue for the Year One Startup is estimated at $293,000, which consists of public and private grants. 

Total revenue for Year-Two Expansion is estimated at $1,315,0000. Revenue includes grants ($625,000) and earned income through monthly, off site services fees ($690,000). Service fees are calculated for 1000 individual users, 50 nonprofits and 200 small businesses. Reduced revenue from grants is estimated at $690,0000. Net revenue is estimated at $378,177.88 

The Coalition estimates expenses for the Tech Support Hotline for two years: 1) Year-One Startup; and 2) Year-Two Expansion. The total costs are $1,229,882.

Total expenses for Year One Startup is estimated at $301,482. The largest expense is for personnel, estimated at $211,840, and includes full-time Operations Director, Help Desk Coordinator, Sales and Marketing staff and IT Interns; this is followed by benefits ($52,960), subscriptions ($10,033), communications ($2,820), equipment ($2,000) and background checks ($796).  We also include administrative costs at 7.5% ($21,033).

Total expenses for Year Two Expansion is estimated at $928,399. Again, the largest expense is for personnel, estimated at $662,680, with additional full-time staff including a sales and marketing team; this is followed by benefits ($165,670), subscriptions ($10,033), communications ($2,820), equipment ($2,000) and background checks ($796).  We also include administrative costs at 7.5% ($84,399).

Our Team welcomes the support of the Morgridge Family Foundation, New Profit and other partners to help us reduce barriers to building out our revenue model; specifically, help sustaining and scaling our mentorship model and all-volunteer workforce for the hotline. For this, we could use sample revenue models that fit our project design, and/or the guidance of a financial or business adviser. Additionally, we need input on the collection, tracking and monitoring of long-term outcomes for adult learners. Currently, there is no mechanism in place to follow-up with hotline callers either short or long-term. Here, we could use input from someone with longitudinal evaluation expertise or best practices. Likewise, we would like to work with experts and other comparable organizations with comparable goals, to strengthen our sales and marketing techniques. And finally, as we anticipated barriers to replicating and scaling our solution to additional cities nationally, we seek best practices and examples of comparable projects who successfully went to scale.  

 Our Team would also like the opportunity to meet and consult with former Challenge winners with comparable projects.  This will go a long way in helping us to anticipate unforeseen barriers, learn what works and what does not, and in general, better plan and implement all facets of our project.

Our partnership goals entail creating a national and diverse partner base. The primary purpose will be to help fund, sustain and expand our project, and eventually help us deliver a scalable workforce development solution for low-income jobseekers.  Our solution will especially benefit from opportunities to leverage our funding and revenue model, and strengthen our business model.  Goals include partnering with former challenge winners, such as Refactored.ai and Code Nation, as well as relevant government agencies, such as the Small Business Administration. Additionally, we will identify other city- or state-based Digital Equity Coalitions, comparable to BDEC, that connects organizations to efforts advancing digital equity to help close the digital divide. And beyond this, we plan to collaborate with NPower Regional Advisory Committees. NPower Maryland is part of a national member organization that operates in seven cities—each with their own partnerships—this provides the advantage of having readily available partnership possibilities.  

We have identified as potential partners, two former SOLVE challenge winners whose solutions and partnership goals most closely align with ours.  They are listed below, along with our partnership plans.

• Refactored.ai: which is developing today’s workforce for success in tomorrow’s workplace, and solves for the global skills gap challenge, by providing a scalable solution to keep workforce skills current and relevant in the midst of rapid technological advancement.

We would like to partner with them to exchange best practices and other resources, for creating a highly-skilled, digitally literate workforce. 

·      Code Nation: which is equipping students in under-resourced schools, with the skills needed to launch careers in technology, and seeks to establish direct connections to the tech industry to secure well-paid computing jobs.

We would like to partner with them to exchange best practices and other resources, for launching tech careers for underserved students.

Additionally, we would like to partner with United Way. They currently operate a HELPLINE that connects millions of people with basic needs, and use interns to staff it.   We want to learn from their internship model to create quality jobs for our IT trainees.