How 2020 Accelerated Digital Transformation at Companies and What That Means for Frontline Workers

The events of the past year have led to unprecedented changes in how businesses operate and the way people live and work. These changes have included the acceleration and adoption of digital technology in the workplace. UpSkill America, with the support of Strada Education Network and Walmart.org, spent six months conducting interviews and surveys with employers about how the events of 2020 have affected their businesses. In the process, we learned about how businesses have adopted new technologies to respond to workers’ and customers’ needs. For many companies, digital transformation has led to changes in how they think about the skills frontline workers need to be successful in their jobs and the investments in education and training programs needed to support workers’ development. Learn about results of our survey of over 340 business leaders and hear directly from leading employers in food service, healthcare, manufacturing, and retail. Panelists share how their businesses have responded to events in 2020, including ways they have responded to technological change and racial inequities in employment. Our speakers include Patti Constantakis (Director, Corporate Philanthropy, Walmart.org), Maureen Conway (Vice President, The Aspen Institute; Executive Director, The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program), Hao Dinh (Director, Global Digital Industrial Operations, Electrolux), Jaime Fall (Director, UpSkill America at the Aspen Institute), Daryl Graham (Senior Vice President of Philanthropy, Strada Education Network), Ranita Jain (Senior Evaluation Manager, The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program), Julius Ridgley (Manager of Talent Development, Eat’n Park), Missy Sparks (Vice President of Talent Management, Ochsner Health), and Ken Taylor (President, Training Industry, Inc.).