Michigan State University

Broadband Adoption through Education and E-Entrepreneurship in Michigan's Urban Cores

Facing a structural shift away from manufacturing, Michigan suffers from high levels of unemployment and needs significant re-training for jobs in today’s economy. Michigan State University is proposing to increase broadband subscribership and use while conducting training for high school students, displaced workers, and small businesses in 11 cities across the state. In Detroit, Highland Park, and Hamtramck the project plans to train high school students in basic web design, citizen journalism, online safety, and online business development. Students in the program would then create web content for local businesses and other organizations. In Lansing, project partners plan to offer adult learners training in the practical uses of broadband technology as a bridge to later opportunities and as a prerequisite for community college courses. In Jackson, the local community college plans to tailor existing digital literacy curricula to displaced former industrial workers, training them for jobs in systems administration or network installation. The project also proposes to serve residents through training and access enhancements in Benton Harbor, Flint, Kalamazoo, Muskegon, Pontiac, and Saginaw.

Total Award:

$5,215,507