Digital Skills Academy

According to the National Skills Coalition, 90% of jobs in Georgia require digital skills. Additionally, the majority of jobs require skills beyond high school but don’t require a 4-year degree. Many underserved job seekers face employment barriers due to limited knowledge of basic computer operations, email communication, video conferencing, and platforms like G-Suite and Microsoft Office – skills employers expect for nearly all roles. YWCA Greater Atlanta’s Digital Skills Academy (DSA) equips individuals with these essential skills to succeed in today’s workforce. One third of U.S. workers lack foundational digital skills, creating a significant gap that prevents individuals from accessing better job opportunities (National Skills Coalition). 

DSA addresses this gap by providing training in digital fluency, online safety, and commonly used software. This training program empowers participants to meet employer expectations, enhancing employability and economic mobility. For underserved communities, it is a critical step toward overcoming systemic barriers and thriving in an increasingly digital economy.

YWCA Greater Atlanta’s Digital Skills Academy (DSA) equips women with essential skills to succeed in today’s workforce including digital fluency, online safety, and commonly used software. DSA offers 6-10 week digital learning sessions at no cost, with flexible weekend and evening options. Two cohorts are held annually, in fall and spring, aligning with the school calendar, as 80% of participants are single mothers. Additionally, in 2024 DSA began working with a women’s shelter to provide opportunities for shelter residents to participate, operating on a more flexible schedule to accommodate women moving in and out of shelter. 

Applicants complete placement exams and interviews to assess readiness, which also determines cohort duration. Participants receive a laptop and hotspot, theirs to keep after completing the program. Each cohort accommodates up to 25 participants, ensuring personalized attention. Classes are led by qualified instructors with teaching assistants and include 1-on-1 coaching averaging two hours per week.

The curriculum covers digital fluency, basic computer skills, online safety, email, video conferencing, G-Suite, and Microsoft Office. Advanced skills, resume coaching, professional headshots, job search tips, and financial literacy and empowerment training are also provided.

Digital Skills Academy focuses on empowering women, particularly BIWOC, who experience systemic barriers to career opportunities. Participants in DSA are typically  unemployed or underemployed women between the ages of 30 and 59 looking to gain new skills and apply for employment. In our Spring 2024 cohort, 53.8% of participants began the program with an annual household income below $14,580 and 30.8% were between the ages of 40-49. 97.7% of participants identify as Black/African American and 2.24% are Latinx.  

In many under-resourced communities, these marginalized women are disproportionately affected by a lack of access to training and skill development, limiting their ability to secure jobs that provide a living wage. This demographic faces compounded challenges due to intersecting factors such as race, gender, and socioeconomic status. Our initiative aims to address these disparities by providing resources and opportunities for skill-building, mentorship, and job placement, ultimately contributing to long-term financial stability.

We are uniquely positioned to deliver this program due to deep ties to the communities we serve and commitment to empowering underserved women. Our team reflects the diversity and resilience of our participants. The team is led by women of color and first-generation professionals who have experienced similar challenges, such as balancing their career with childcare responsibilities or overcoming systemic inequities. This allows us to implement a program that resonates with our participants’ lived experiences.

Since launching in 2021, DSA has served 278 women. Through conversations and follow-up surveys to our alumni, we gathered input on participants’ experiences and barriers. Follow-up surveys are sent out every three months for at least a year. We find phone calls and conversations are informative, allowing us to maintain strong connections with our alumni and better understand their evolving needs and progress. These conversations and insights inform key aspects of the program, like coinciding with the school year to allow for childcare. We foster continuous dialogue with alumni, incorporating their feedback to improve outcomes.

Maranda Wilkinson is a proud DSA alumni. Maranda joined DSA wanting to refresh her skills but has stated she gained so much more. Maranda said, “the levels of genuine support, love, resources, and opportunities that entered my life were beyond my expectations. DSA refreshed my computer skills, introduced me to new ones, and connected me with like-minded women striving to live authentically”. With support from DSA, she refined her business plan, won pitch competitions, and secured a living-wage job with YWCA that provides childcare for her daughter. 

Maranda’s story highlights how DSA empowers women not just to acquire skills but to achieve lasting economic opportunity, confidence, and independence. Stories like hers inspire our team to continue delivering impactful program solutions that support brighter futures for underserved women and their families.

DSA is in the growth stage due to its success in multiple cohorts and its readiness for expansion to serve additional participants and communities. Over the past year, DSA has successfully led two cohorts for underserved women with demonstrated impact. We have trained over 100 participants with successful outcomes including job placements and enhanced economic mobility. Beginning in 2024, DSA began offering a cohort at a local women’s shelter which operates on a more flexible schedule as women move in and out of the shelter. In the growth stage, we would like to continue to expand to communities such as this one to provide skills training to more underserved women. 

https://ywcaatlanta.org/digital-skills-academy

DSA is an innovative solution due to its participant-centered approach to addressing the digital skills gap for underserved women. Unlike many digital literacy programs, DSA integrates digital skills training with wraparound support, including childcare considerations, flexible scheduling, and individualized coaching as well as support with resume building, interview skills, interview and workplace clothing, financial literacy and empowerment, and more. This ensures accessibility for populations often excluded from these opportunities, such as single moms and women experiencing economic instability.

DSA’s curriculum is designed to meet participants where they are, offering basic skills like email alongside more advanced training tailored to the participant’s interests, such as entrepreneurship or specific career tracks. This flexibility empowers participants not just to secure jobs but to pursue meaningful career paths or entrepreneurial ventures.

By incorporating alumni feedback, DSA continuously improves its program to better meet participants' needs. This commitment to improvement highlights the potential for workforce development programs to be inclusive and empowering, setting a standard for addressing systemic inequities and enhancing workforce training.

DSA empowers participants to secure and increase employment, learn new skills and build brighter futures for themselves, their families, and their communities. Below are ways DSA makes this impact and changes the lives of its participants. 

Bridge the Digital Divide - DSA empowers underserved women to overcome systemic barriers by equipping them with essential digital skills and allowing them to secure new workforce opportunities. 

Indicator: Percentage of program participants who gain employment or advance their careers within six months of completing the program. 

Promote Economic Mobility - DSA creates pathways for participants to secure stable, living-wage employment or launch entrepreneurial ventures, enabling financial independence and long-term economic stability.

Indicator: Percentage of participants who have sustained employment and increased wages one year after completing the program.

Transform Lives and Communities - DSA fosters confidence and leadership among participants, creating generational effects that improve the well-being of families and strengthen communities.

Indicator: Percentage of graduating participants who report increased confidence and proficiency in their digital skills and overall ability to be employed.

The team includes two full-time staff. Volunteer speakers, mentors, and other supporters supplement the team. 

The first cohort of Digital Skills Academy began in 2021. YWCA Greater Atlanta has been providing education and empowerment programming for women and girls since 1902. 

YWCA Greater Atlanta is built on the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion. For over 120 years, the organization has been dedicated to serving women and girls, with more than 90% of the women we serve identifying as Black or Latina. To foster an environment where Black and Latina women feel welcomed and supported, YWCA Greater Atlanta is committed to implementing diverse programs and policies that reflect the communities we serve. This commitment extends to our leadership and staff, where the majority are women of color with deep connections to these communities and expertise spanning academia, marketing, and social justice.

Our commitment to diversity begins with our Board of Directors, which is 100% female. Of our 12 board members, 7 identify as Black, 1 as Asian/Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, 3 as white, and 1 as both Black and AAPI. Many have direct experience serving underserved communities, making them well-positioned to guide our mission.

YWCA Greater Atlanta also maintains a policy of equal employment opportunities for all employees and applicants, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status. We have a clear process for addressing discrimination or harassment and are committed to fostering growth and advancement for our team, ensuring that our policies reflect our values of equity and inclusion.

DSA has a mission-driven business model that prioritizes equality and empowerment for underserved women. Our business model provides value to its participants by integrating digital skills training with wraparound support by addressing the numerous barriers participants face.

 DSA provides participants with a range of services, including digital skills training (e.g., basic computer skills, video conferencing, and Microsoft Office), resume building, interview preparation, financial literacy, and empowerment coaching. Additionally, we offer access to childcare resources, flexible scheduling, and even workplace attire when needed. Participants also receive laptops and internet hotspots.

These services provide our participants with a path for growth and building economic stability. This holistic approach ensures that participants not only gain technical skills but also develop confidence, economic stability, and a sense of self-reliance. By addressing barriers like childcare and economic insecurity, DSA creates value for participants, empowering them to overcome systemic inequities and build brighter futures. Through this comprehensive and accessible model, DSA provides value to underserved women, helping them achieve economic independence and become active contributors to their families and communities.

In 2024, YWCA Greater Atlanta's Digital Skills Academy received funding from Cox Enterprises ($15,000), Ulta ($33,000), PNC Financial Services (13,200), Mary Allen Lindsey Branan Foundation ($10,000), Publix Supermarkets Charity ($10,000) and undesignated dollars and event revenue. We will continue to apply for funding through private foundations and individual donors.

Digital Skills Academy’s budget is $240,000. This is 6% of YWCA Greater Atlanta’s overall budget. The overall budget is sustainable through state grant funding, Early Learning Academy tuition, private foundations, corporate contributions, and individual donations. 

We are applying to the Truist Foundation Inspire Awards because we believe in the power of education and training to advance economic mobility and equity for underserved women. DSA has demonstrated significant success in bridging the digital divide and empowering women to secure meaningful employment and financial independence. Partnering with the Truist Foundation and MIT Solve provides a unique opportunity to scale our impact, enhance our program, and deepen our reach in underserved communities.

Additionally, this partnership would elevate our ability to communicate the program's impact and attract new supporters. By working together, we plan to build a scalable model for digital skills training that empowers women and creates long-term economic and social change.