Clark County community leaders are seeking the local public’s insight about its strengths and weaknesses in digital skills.

The state broadband office is conducting a survey on digital skills and opportunities. Completing the survey will help shape the direction of how the more than $1 billion the state is set to receive from federal funding to improve broadband access to Arkansans. The survey will help the state broadband office and a local committee with training and equipping residents on digital skills they could be lacking.

The research is under way to better understand the state’s digital divide, create a plan to address its digital skills gap and learn more about the unique challenges that stand in the way of various segments of the state’s population affording and using high-speed internet.

The Arkansas State Broadband Office’s goal is to get the state of Arkansas as close as possible to a reality where all people and communities have access to reliable high-speed internet – at an affordable price, and with opportunities to learn/build digital skills. In turn, this access will create opportunities to enhance education, healthcare, agriculture, local economies and more.

The survey takes about 10-15 minutes to complete. Data collected through this survey will directly inform the Arkansas Digital Skills and Opportunity plan, which will be available for public comment in the Fall of 2023. CLICK HERE to begin the survey.