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Workforce Planning Guide

Building America's Workforce

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will transform the landscape of high-speed Internet in America, improving access to health care, education, and civic engagement while connecting families and communities across the country. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration at the Department of Commerce supports the Administration’s commitment to equitable and highly skilled jobs in shaping the future of the high-speed Internet workforce.

Workforce Planning Guide

NTIA offers this Workforce Planning Guide as a resource for Eligible Entities completing submissions for Internet For All programs. This guide primarily supports Eligible Entities developing submissions to the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program but may also be applicable as entities develop their Digital Equity Plans. Eligible Entities can use the Guide as they hire a team for grant implementation as well as to assist subgrantees in designing workforce plans and standards.

What's in the Guide

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    Components of a Workforce Plan for the BEAD Program

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    Developing a BEAD Workforce Plan, including proposed planning steps and pacing suggestions for completing BEAD submissions and key integration points with the Digital Equity Program

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    Strategies and Examples that offer a range of approaches for meeting workforce requirements

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    Additional Resources to support the workforce planning and implementation process

Download the Workforce Planning Guide

The Workforce Development Guide supports Eligible Entities developing submissions to Internet For All programs. It supports the development of workforces for grant implementation as well as designing workforce plans and standards for subgrantees.

BEAD Workforce Requirements and Guidance​

When developing strategies to assure a highly skilled, diverse, and equitable workforce, prospective subgrantees must be sure they are abiding and following all requirements and recommendations in the BEAD NOFO. There are 4 main workforce categories to which industries should be paying attention.

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Federal Labor and Employment Laws​

All subgrantees with projects funded through BEAD must have a demonstrated record of compliance with federal labor and employment laws and plans to continue compliance.​

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Skilled Workforce​

Each subgrantee must certify that it will use an appropriately skilled and credentialed workforce that is technically qualified to complete all funded activities in a competent manner.​

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Equitable Training & Workforce Development​

Eligible Entitiess are encouraged to adopt selection criteria for subgrantees related to equitable and targeted recruiting efforts, training and education initiatives, and workforce retention and up-skilling initiatives.​

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Contracting​

Eligible Entities are encouraged to contract with Small and Minority Business Enterprises (MBE), Women’s Business Enterprises (WBE) and Labor Surplus Area (LSA) firms.​

More Workforce Resources

Do you need more information about workforce development? Are you part of an organization that is interested in spreading the word about this critical initiative? We've compiled several resources to help support organizations who are engaged in and raising awareness for workforce development activities.