The Pandemic Has Accelerated Demands for a More Skilled Work Force

Businesses are adopting more automation in an effort to reduce costs and boost efficiency amid the pandemic. To stay ahead of the automation wave, U.S. workers are being encouraged to move up the skills ladder, reports the New York Times . A 2019 Markle Foundation report found that jobs in health care, retail, and warehouses saw the fastest rates of digitization. Nonprofit programs have seen some success in training low-income adults for careers in health care, manufacturing, and business. Experts say digital-only institutions are well-positioned to help upskill workers. Said Stanford University Digital Economy Lab's Erik Brynjolfsson, "There are various ways to do it, but ultimately you are going to need public investment."