Comcast said Wednesday that its Internet Essentials program has teamed up with Goodwill Industries International to provide digital skills and workforce development training for thousands of low-income adults at Goodwill organizations across the U.S.

In addition, Comcast will install free WiFi access at Goodwill locations to allow people to go online to search for jobs, seek digital skill training certification programs to prepare for entry and mid-level occupations.

"Access to the internet offers a life-changing pathway for workers to get the skills they need to move up the economic ladder and prepare for the jobs of the future, but not everyone is capable of taking full advantage of the technology,” Comcast executive VP of public policy and EVP of digital equity Broderick Johnson said in a press release. “Greater internet adoption and increased digital skills will not only lead to higher paying jobs, but also make our country more competitive globally.”

Comcast said its investment will bring training and free WiFi to the following Goodwill locations nationwide: Palmetto Goodwill (Charleston, South Carolina); Goodwill South Florida (Miami); Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake (Baltimore); Goodwill Houston (Houston); Goodwill Easterseals Minnesota (Saint Paul, Minnesota); Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois and Wisconsin Stateline Area, Inc. (Rockford, Illinois); Goodwill Industries Knoxville (Knoxville, Tennessee); and Goodwill of Southern New Jersey and Philadelphia (Maple Shade, New Jersey). 

The company added that eight Goodwill organizations have been onboarded and two additional Goodwill markets will be named in the coming months.

“Goodwill has a long history of offering job seekers support that sets them up for success. From résumé building and interview preparation to connecting job seekers to local employers and community colleges, we provide a range of service to those in need of opportunities,” said Goodwill Industries International president and CEO Steven C. Preston, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International. “This partnership with Comcast will provide many Goodwill participants with free connectivity and discounted devices, which are essential for people to access training and basic support to move forward. Our partners at Comcast are helping us ensure that those job seekers can gain economic mobility and pursue new beginnings with confidence.”

The Goodwill partnership comes about a year after Comcast unveiled a multi-year program to launch more than 1,000 WiFi-connected “Lift Zones” in community centers nationwide, working with its network of nonprofit partners and city leaders. Lift Zone sites complement Comcast’s Internet Essentials program, which in 10 years has helped connect a total of more than 10 million people with low incomes to the internet at home. ■

Comcast on Monday introduced its Grows to Code program, an initiative to help the cable company’s front-line installers and call-center agents learn computer coding skills and move into entry-level software engineering roles. The six-month program announced its first 12 graduates, who went through an intense code training boot camp, an onboarding program and apprenticeship, on July 12. 

Comcast partnered with non-profit organization LaunchCode, which offers educational training and job opportunities to people pursuing technology careers, to develop the program. Unlike other training programs, employees participating in Grows to Code are paid full-time at their average hourly rate and do all coursework as part of the 40-hour per week program. This, Comcast said, allows participants to advance their skills without taking time from their families. 

Comcast said all 12 participants in the inaugural Grow to Code class completed their course requirements and are now full-time Comcast engineers. 

Among the graduates are Philadelphia native Shelina Watts, who has been a field tech for Comcast for about five years. 

“It was just right on time,” Watts said of the program in a press release. “This program allowed me to combine my love for creating new things with the real-world experience I gained as a technician to serve our customers in an entirely new way. This was an amazing opportunity.”

For her final project, Watts used her coding skills to build a searchable encyclopedia of sneakers — she hosts an annual sneaker drive to customize used sneakers and give them to children in need. After completing the program late last year, Shelina is now a member of the team, helping to build and evolve the very same app that she used as a technician in the field. 

You can hear other stories of Grows to Code graduates here. 

Combining in the field know-how with coding skills can lead to solutions to everyday business and customer experience problems, the company said.  

“Who better to build tools for our front-line employees than some of our best and brightest front-line employees,” Comcast Cable executive VP and chief information officer Rick Rioboli said in a press release. “Working directly with customers gives them expertise that’s extremely applicable to the technical work we doComcast said it plans to expand the program to other markets outside of Philadelphia and is seeking a broader number of frontline employees to participate.” 

“Our frontline technicians and care agents represent a deep, wide pool of incredibly talented individuals who understand our technology and the unique needs of our customers better than anyone in the world,” Comcast Cable executive VP and chief customer experience officer Tom Karinshak said in a press release. “It’s incredibly exciting to find yet another way to tap into that reservoir of talent, as we work to fill critical needs on our software engineering teams.” 

SCTE•ISBE will use this month’s Cable-Tec Expo in Denver to debut a 3D-powered platform aimed at boosting training efficiency and effectiveness in areas such as home-side service installation, as well as for  maintenance and troubleshooting for outside plant and at the headend.

The Society said this will be part of a demonstration of its CORTEX VirtuLearn suite of tools this month at SCTE•ISBE Cable-Tec Expo. Its CORTEX NetworkSim is an online training environment that uses 3D simulations to provide virtual hands-on training.

CORTEX NetworkSim, designed for the organization by opXL Learning Systems, aims to help cable techs become more proficient in areas such as installs of video, voice, data services, Wi-Fi and security equipment, as well as work tied to the outside plant and the headends.

SCTE•ISBE said it will also show NetworkSim and other elements of VirtuLearn: LightningMods (quick learning tools and eBooks); VirtuGame (an element that reinforces learning concepts, at the CORTEX Lounge (Booth #451) during show exhibit hall hours from Wednesday, Oct. 18 through Friday, Oct. 20.

“As learning technology has improved and the needs of the industry have changed, SCTE•ISBE has been committed to finding new ways to implement training that minimizes impact on field operations and optimizes ROI,” Matt Aden, vice president, sales operations for SCTE•ISBE, said in a statement. “By collaborating with opXL, we’ve created a unique platform that enables workforce team members to independently learn, gain real-time feedback, and retain their newfound knowledge.”

“The need to maximize training without impacting field engineers’ day-to-day operational availability historically has been an important consideration for cable system operators,” added Tom Gorman, president of opXL.  “CORTEX NetworkSim has been designed to enable cable technical workforce members to increase skills and knowledge anytime, anywhere, and to serve as an essential technical resource that can provide on-the-job guidance when needed.”

The Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE), the SCTE Foundation, and Comcast have teamed with and Georgia Tech Professional Education (GTPE) on a pilot training program designed to bring cable telecommunications career opportunities to transitioning members of the armed forces.

They said Comcast has entered into a pilot training partnership with GTPE’s Veterans Education Training and Transition (VET2) program to recruit and train two initial groups of up to 20 participants each for cable telecommunications engineering careers.

The program, they said, is utilizing the training resources of SCTE and its global arm, the International Society of Broadband Experts (ISBE).  Training will be funded by a grant from the SCTE Foundation.

The seven-month process includes student selection and pre-certification, self-paced SCTE/ISBE online training, and an internship that combines academics and practical experience. Up to 40 participants with multiple years of military experience in communications or IT-related areas will be selected.

Initial student screening and pre-certification are being conducted by Georgia Tech Professional Education for service members residing in close proximity to Fort Gordon, Fort Stewart and Warner Robins Air Force Base. Beginning in Q2 2016, students in the first class will complete SCTE/ISBE online training and certification for one of two tracks:  Field Technician, which requires attainment of SCTE/ISBE Broadband Premises Installer (BPI) certification, or Headend Technician, which requires attainment of SCTE/ISBE Broadband TelecomCenter Specialist (BTCS) certification. 

Launched in 2013, VET2 maintains a 100% job offer rate for service members completing the program, they said.

Comcast is using the program to identify, engage and offer training and internship opportunities to high-potential transitioning service members, enabling new career paths for program participants and a source of highly trained individuals for the cable workforce.

“We are thrilled to partner with these respected organizations to connect with military talent early in the transition process,” said Carol Eggert, vice president, military and veteran affairs for Comcast and Brigadier General (R), U.S. Army.  “These highly motivated, talented participants will have the chance to explore exciting career paths in our industry, and we look forward to the opportunity to have them join our team.”

“Georgia Tech has a 130-year history supporting veterans in our community,” added Dr. James Wilburn, director of military academic programs at Georgia Tech Professional Education. “This program brings together a major employer that shares our commitment to veterans, industry-leading technical and workforce education, and the funding needed to streamline that process for participants.”

“Our military veterans represent a deep pool of highly skilled, well-trained talent that would be a tremendous asset to cable,” said Mark Dzuban, president and CEO of SCTE/ISBE.  “Our hat is off to Comcast for working with Georgia Tech Professional Education, the SCTE Foundation and SCTE/ISBE to show how the vast resources of our industry and its training partners can help these dedicated men and women transition their military training to new civilian careers.”

“As consumers depend increasingly on technology for all of their entertainment and communications needs, our need for world-class technical skills is growing,” said Mark Hess, president of the SCTE Foundation and senior vice president, business and industry affairs for Comcast Cable.  “The SCTE Foundation’s support for VET2 will help our industry meet that need while at the same time helping our military men and women to make the transition to civilian careers.”

Jones/NCTI said it has struck a three-year deal to provide Midcontinent Communications with a suite of learning tools for the MSO’s frontline field technicians and call center teams.

The package includes Jones/NCTI's course material, mobile learning application and career path development tools, as well as LogiCALL customer service support.  Under the deal, Midcontinent’s techs and call center staff will get access to Jones/NCTI's Master Technician and Master Representative course materials, and the MSO will deploy Amp, Jones/NCTI's mobile learning application. 

Jones/NCTI will also provide opportunities for career planning and advancement with career paths created and tailored for Midcontinent.

Midcontinent will introduce the new Jones/NCTI program to employees in early 2015. 

“Our team is excited to deepen our relationship with Midcontinent by providing their frontline technicians and customer care teams with a results-driven learning program that supports a clearly defined career path,” said Stacey Slaughter, CEO of Jones/NCTI, in a statement. “ All MSOs can benefit from the way we have restructured our offerings to integrate with and supplement existing learning programs."  

"We're thrilled to provide our team with tools to expand the superior customer service they provide today through our relationship with Jones/NCTI,” added Kathy Green, director of talent development at Midcontinent.  “These solutions will deliver on-demand, next-level learning to help our employees on the job as well as throughout their careers. I expect deployment of the Jones/NCTI solutions will have a positive impact on our company, our employees and ultimately, our customers."