Impacts of Customization and Wraparound Supports for Digital Skills Upskilling Insights

The Issue

While digital skills are in high demand, the digital divide disproportionately affects underemployment and unemployment among equity-deserving groups, including women, newcomers and refugees, and Black youth. Due to social and economic inequalities, these groups face greater difficulties in accessing and completing digital skills training, preventing them from participating in the digital workforce and worsening the economic and social barriers they face.  

To address the barriers faced by equity-deserving groups in the career pathing journey, customized wraparound supports must be developed to encourage and sustain participant engagement and ensure training completion, and to strengthen transitions and long-term employment outcomes. However, the definition of wraparound supports is inconsistent across program providers, with some narrowly interpreting wraparound supports as financial aid and others extending them to include tailored forms of assistance. As such, using the career pathing model as a guiding structure, this report lays out a comprehensive framework for identifying the different barriers experienced by equity-deserving groups and the supports needed to address them. It also examines the ADaPT program and its variants as a case study to identify the extent to which tailored wraparound supports can contribute to improved access to digital skills training and employment outcomes for equity-deserving groups. 

While many programs provide digital skills training, they rarely address all stages of the career pathway. For women, newcomers and refugees, and Black youth, effective support must extend beyond technical skills training to 1) encourage user entry, 2) build self-efficacy, 3) support participants in navigating careers and systems, 4) assist with economic and social barriers, 5) provide good content and good teaching, and 6) sustain support. For example, gender and racial stereotypes can discourage women or Black individuals from even entering digital skills training, while language and wayfinding may be a barrier for newcomers and refugees. These factors also influence self-efficacy and the belief in one’s ability to succeed.

What We Investigated

This report examines the digital skills barriers faced by three groups—women, newcomers and refugees, and Black youth—and the role of wraparound supports in addressing their needs. 

Drawing on research as well as data from different variants of the ADaPT program, including ADaPT for Newcomers, ADaPT for Career Changers, ADaPT for Black Youth, and the ADaPT4Success program, this report examines the different approaches to wraparound supports and their implications for further research. 

Specifically, it asks the following questions:

• What barriers do women, newcomers and refugees, and Black youth face along the career pathing journey?
• How can wraparound supports be effectively designed to meet these needs?

What We’re Learning

Our examination of barriers using the career pathing model found that women, newcomers and refugees, and Black youth face challenges before, during and after program participation, necessitating a step-by-step exploration of the needs that must be addressed to facilitate better engagement, as well as learning and employment outcomes. 

At the program access stage, equity-deserving groups may be hesitant to pursue skills training due to caregiving responsibilities and cost, as well as discrimination, which leads to a lack of self-efficacy. Similar factors that limit access to programs also hinder completion, including low self-efficacy. Socioeconomic factors such as the digital divide, transport poverty and financial insecurity further constrain participants’ ability to fully engage in and complete digital skills programs. At the employment stage, equity-deserving groups may struggle to sustain support after program completion due to a lack of professional networks and social capital. 

Wraparound supports offer holistic, flexible and tailored services to address these barriers. In practice, wraparound supports must address four interconnected needs along the career pathing journey. These include human capital needs, such as providing language training or resources for newcomers that complement the core training received. Wraparound supports must also respond to personal needs. These supports can be offered via mental health support and networking opportunities as well as mentorship and sponsorship initiatives, which can help improve self-efficacy and belonging. Logistical supports provide access to childcare, transportation, financial assistance and technology so that participants can fully engage in training. Finally, labour market access supports such as career counselling and employment placements facilitate the transition into meaningful and sustained employment outcomes.

Key considerations for integrating EDI into wraparound supports include assessing diverse needs, addressing underserved populations and embedding EDI principles like accessibility and cultural sensitivity into program design. Program developers should also consider engaging with inclusive employers to support participants’ transition into the workplace and coordination among service providers, community organizations and employers to streamline available resources for participants. To measure the progress of their services, robust evaluation metrics and outcome measures must be incorporated to capture both implementation and impact. 

The ADaPT program exemplifies how wraparound supports can effectively meet the needs of participants in skills training programs. Recognizing that a “one-size-fits-all” approach does not work for everyone, different ADaPT streams have provided targeted support to help participants overcome specific program and societal barriers and successfully transition into the workforce. For example, ADaPT for Black Youth facilitated access to critical resources such as loaner computers and internet connectivity. The ADaPT for Newcomers variant conducted ecosystem mapping to identify and validate community organizations and resources that could support participants in their resettlement.

Since the program’s establishment, ADaPT has created pathways into various professional and digital careers for individuals from diverse backgrounds. Since 2020, over 1,500 participants have completed the program, surpassing its original target of 975 participant completions by 60%. Of those 1,500 participants, 94% identified as having diverse backgrounds. The program completion rate stands at 80%, with a satisfaction rate of 89%. 

Over 1,000 employers have engaged with the program, and ADaPT has ensured job placements for 1,305 participants, which surpassed the original target of 1,239 placements by 5%. Furthermore, employers have seen tangible benefits from engaging with the program, with over 85% reporting improved business outcomes such as increased employee retention and greater workforce diversity. 

The findings suggest that when the barriers are clearly understood and addressed through customized wraparound supports, digital skills programs can expand opportunities for equity-deserving groups and contribute to more inclusive participation in the digital economy.

Why It Matters

Strengthening wraparound supports is essential to ensuring the participation of equity-deserving groups in the digital economy. For consistency and effectiveness, clear definitions of wraparound supports should also be established and standardized. An aggregated database of supports and programs should also be made publicly available and accessible for participants. Furthermore, building public-private partnerships between employers, educational institutions and community organizations is critical to delivering integrated wraparound supports. Federal, provincial and municipal governments should also leverage their partnerships with community donors to streamline program access and improve awareness of available programs. 

Key stakeholders at the organizational level should develop tailored wraparound supports that incorporate inclusive and accessible program design. Organizations should also establish sustainable financing and work with employer partners to facilitate user navigation across programs and supports. Employer engagement is also essential to providing participants with professional experience in the form of job placements, internships and work-integrated learning opportunities. To ensure that programs are effectively supporting participants, organizations should clearly define their goals and develop evaluation frameworks to track their progress and inform the improvement of programs.

Promising practices can also be employed at the individual level by educators and trainers, career counsellors, mentors, and learners and trainees. Educators and trainers should be equipped with the knowledge and tools to deliver accessible, inclusive support and adapt curricula to reflect learners’ diverse backgrounds and needs. Career counsellors can provide personalized, culturally responsive guidance while promoting access to resources and networks. Mentors should share industry knowledge, help trainees build connections, and strengthen their ability to support mentees through EDI training. Learners and trainees, in turn, can contribute by engaging actively in training, setting career goals and building networks.

State of Skills:
Digital Tools in the Skills Ecosystem

There is considerable promise in the role digital tools and virtual career services can play in improving access to training and career development, particularly for those with geographic barriers or constraints such as family care or other work responsibilities.

Read Thematic Report