Digital Jobs Pathways Toolkit
Phase 1: Understanding Sector, Stakeholder, and Regional Needs
Effective digital jobs pathways begin with a grounded understanding of both local conditions and labor market realities. This section equips intermediaries with strategies for assessing the makeup of a regional digital jobs workforce and designing pathway strategies that are aligned with local employer demand.
This section features three tools:
Key Considerations in the Digital Jobs Sector
This tool provides a strategic overview of the digital jobs workforce landscape, and helps intermediaries quickly get up to speed on national trends taking into consideration local implications. It distills complex labor market dynamics, such as shifts driven by the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), credentialing trends, and the growing importance of durable employability skills. Intermediaries can use this information to inform their conversations with partners and ground their pathway design in current realities.
Labor Market and Employer Needs Analysis Guide
Designed to translate raw labor market data into clear, usable insights, this guide helps users identify high-growth occupations, validate skills demand through employer feedback, and align training with regional needs. Users will have a prioritized list of digital jobs, a regional demographic snapshot, and a stronger understanding of how to engage employers in co-designing solutions.
Regional Pathways Assessment
This tool helps intermediaries assess the current state of their local digital jobs ecosystem by identifying existing partnerships, regional assets, and critical gaps. It’s especially valuable for teams looking to expand collaboration, be able to pinpoint where support is needed, and use shared insights to drive future planning. As a result, this tool can guide decisions about partnership building, investment priorities, and systems alignment.
Together, these tools advance four key digital jobs pathway priority areas: Strengthening Pathways and Partnerships, Facilitating Network Building, Building Employer Commitment, and Managing Programs Effectively. They do so by equipping intermediaries with the data, frameworks, and partner insights needed to make informed decisions, prioritize inclusive growth, and foster alignment across stakeholders. This foundational work ensures that subsequent pathway design efforts are rooted in real regional needs, shared goals, and sustainable collaboration.
This section explains how Phase 1 of the pathways development process lays the groundwork for coordinated, data-informed action to build pathways and strengthen partnerships in Phase 2.
Key Takeaways
The tools and activities in this section help intermediaries establish a foundation for digital jobs pathways by strengthening and focusing their understandings of regional dynamics and aligning them with employer needs. This section encourages intermediaries to analyze regional tech sector trends, thoughtfully assess regional assets, and study labor market information validated by employers, to ensure that a digital jobs pathway initiative begins with a shared understanding among partners.
Core themes:
- Digital jobs are evolving, requiring regional leaders to design adaptive, cross-sector training approaches and pathways.
- Intermediaries play a central role in convening stakeholders, aligning systems, and interpreting labor and workforce data to support the design and implementation of digital jobs pathways that are broadly available to everyone in the workforce.
- Employer input is essential to ensure that digital jobs pathway strategies incorporates training that leads to the skills people need for quality jobs.
Discussion Prompts
- What are the most promising digital jobs in the region, and are they broadly accessible?
- Where are there gaps in current training or support systems?
- How can employer insight be used to shift or validate pathway strategies?
Additional Resources
Intermediary Functions and Features in Pathways Systems
A JFF resource that offers an in-depth look into the structural and operational capacities intermediaries must build in order to lead regional digital jobs initiatives.
Tech Jobs Are in High Demand—But Are They High Quality?
A JFF report that examines labor market trends and the quality of jobs in digital fields. It can help intermediaries evaluate whether regional IT job opportunities align with quality employment outcomes.
From Labor Market Information to Pathways Designs: Foundational Information for Intermediaries
A JFF resource that provides best practices for using labor market data in pathway planning.
Job Profiles
A collection of job profiles compiled by JFF that offers snapshots of various digital jobs, including a rundown of the skills and competencies they require and a look at the career pathways they lead to. This resource may be especially helpful as a tool that emerging talent can use to learn more about IT occupations.