Florida’s future workforce begins with the opportunities available to its young people today. Across the state, classrooms, hospitals, utilities, warehouses, construction sites and small businesses now run on software, cloud platforms and connected devices. A student who grows up with a working device and a reliable connection learns to search, write, build, code and collaborate online long before the first job application. A student who grows up without them starts the race late, and too often never catches up.
That gap is measurable. Research from the National Skills Coalition and the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, drawn from 43 million online job postings, found that 92 percent of jobs now require digital skills, while roughly one in three American workers lacks the foundational digital skills needed to qualify for them. Workers who hold a job that requires even one digital skill earn about 23 percent more, or more than $8,000 a year, than workers in jobs that require none.
For Florida, the stakes are enormous. The state is home to nearly 550,000 technology workers, about 5.2 percent of its total workforce, and ranks among the largest states in the nation for tech employment, according to CompTIA’s State of the Tech Workforce report. Every one of those careers, and most of the careers in healthcare, logistics, education, telecommunications and the skilled trades, begins with a young person who had the tools to learn.
Yet in the rural counties of North Florida, in the agricultural communities of the heartland and in the working neighborhoods of South Florida, thousands of students still do their homework on a borrowed phone, in a parking lot with public internet, or not at all. The Figgers Foundation was built to change that. Through its Florida Connect program and a statewide network of community partners, the Foundation is placing connected devices, at no cost, directly into the hands of the students, families, job seekers and seniors in the Florida counties that need them most.
The Problem: Florida’s Digital Divide by the Numbers
The digital divide is the gap between the people and communities who have reliable access to modern technology and those who do not. In Florida, that gap has three parts: no connection, no device, and no training to use either. Each one makes the others worse.
One in ten households, and far more in rural counties
Statewide, roughly 11 percent of Florida households, about one in ten, still have no broadband subscription at home. That average hides a much deeper problem. In 17 of Florida’s 67 counties, more than one in five households remain disconnected.
The Census Bureau’s ACCESS BROADBAND dashboard shows exactly where the gap is widest. In Madison County, only about 65 percent of households subscribe to broadband. Hamilton County stands at 67 percent and Gadsden County at 68 percent, which means roughly a third of the households in each of those counties have no high speed connection at home. Liberty County at 71 percent, Calhoun County at 74 percent, Jefferson County at 76 percent, Taylor County at 77 percent and Jackson County at 78 percent are not far behind. Statewide, about 87 percent of households subscribe.
These numbers describe real families. They are counties where a high school senior cannot upload a college application from home, where a parent cannot apply for a job that only accepts applications online, and where a grandmother cannot see her doctor through a telehealth visit.
Why rural Florida keeps getting left behind
The economics explain the geography. In a town of a few hundred people spread across farmland, a national carrier cannot justify spending millions of dollars on infrastructure to reach every home. “We focus primarily on the rural areas where the larger carriers are not interested in coming into a population of 500 to invest millions of dollars of infrastructure,” said Freddie Figgers, founder of the Figgers Foundation. “When you think about the rural counties, they’re the ones who are left behind.”
The affordability shock of 2024
The divide widened sharply in 2024. The federal Affordable Connectivity Program had provided a discount of up to $30 a month toward home internet service for eligible households. By February 2024, more than 1.7 million Florida households relied on it, the fourth highest enrollment of any state in the country. When Congress did not renew the program’s funding, the discount ended on June 1, 2024.
The consequences were predictable. A study commissioned by the Federal Communications Commission found that 68 percent of enrolled households had inconsistent or no connectivity before the program began, and more than three quarters expected their service to be disrupted if the benefit ended. For a family in Quincy, Madison or Okeechobee living near the poverty line, a $30 monthly increase is often the difference between staying online and dropping off.
The device gap and the homework gap
A connection without a device is still a locked door. Nationally, the Pew Research Center has documented what educators call the homework gap. In its most recent survey of teens, 22 percent said they often or sometimes have to do their homework on a cellphone, and one in five teens in households earning under $30,000 a year had no desktop or laptop computer at home. In Pew’s earlier research, 24 percent of teens from households earning under $30,000 said a lack of a dependable computer or internet connection often or sometimes kept them from finishing homework, compared with 9 percent of teens from households earning $75,000 or more.
Infrastructure alone does not solve this. Fiber on a utility pole does not put a tablet in a seventh grader’s backpack, and a tower on the horizon does not teach a job seeker how to build a resume online. Closing the last few feet of the divide, from the street to the kitchen table, is where the Figgers Foundation does its work.
“In today’s world, being offline means being left behind.”
The Figgers Foundation
Why This Is a Workforce Problem, Not Just a Classroom Problem
For years the digital divide was discussed as an education issue. It is now, unmistakably, an economic one. The same National Skills Coalition analysis found that jobs requiring at least one digital skill pay 23 percent more than jobs requiring none, and jobs requiring three or more pay about 45 percent more. Even among employers hiring entry level workers, 95 percent of postings called for digital skills or skills that are likely to be digital. Industries once considered strictly hands on, including construction, retail and manufacturing, now expect employees to manage schedules, safety reporting, inventory and training through apps and online portals.
The result for Florida is a pipeline problem. A student who never had a device at home arrives at a community college, a trade program or a first job without the baseline fluency employers assume. Catching up is possible, but it takes time and money that many families do not have. Meanwhile, Florida’s economy keeps moving. CompTIA counts nearly 550,000 tech workers in the state and forecasts continued growth in tech employment in 2026.
“Preparing Florida students for future careers starts with giving them opportunities to discover how technology connects to the real world.”
Closing the divide, then, is workforce development. Every connected student is a future nurse who can chart electronically, an electrician who can read digital schematics, a logistics coordinator who can run a routing platform, or a software developer who first learned to code on a tablet at the kitchen table.
How Technology Access Improves Student Learning
Technology has expanded the ways students learn, research and engage with educational content. Digital learning platforms, online libraries, educational applications and interactive resources complement classroom instruction and let students explore subjects well beyond the textbook.
With a device and a connection, a student can complete assignments, research topics, collaborate on projects, review lessons at their own pace and build independent learning habits. For a student in an underserved Florida community, a connected tablet can mean access to the same learning materials, teacher communication and enrichment opportunities that peers in better connected neighborhoods take for granted.
Providing devices alone, however, is not enough. Meaningful technology access also requires digital skills, guidance and opportunities to use online resources safely and effectively. When technology is combined with educational support, it becomes more than a convenience. It becomes a tool that strengthens learning, encourages curiosity and helps students take ownership of their education.
Digital Literacy for Youth: Building Confidence for the Future
Digital literacy is the ability to use technology effectively, responsibly and confidently. It includes navigating digital platforms, evaluating online information, communicating through digital tools, protecting personal information and understanding how technology can be used to solve problems.
Developing these skills early helps students become more capable learners and better prepared for academic and professional responsibilities. Technology also gives young people the chance to move from consuming digital content to creating it, through coding, digital design, multimedia production and online research. These experiences help young people recognize their own abilities and discover interests they may want to pursue further. They also demonstrate that technology is not reserved for a particular group or background.
Figgers sees the urgency growing with every advance in artificial intelligence. “If you look at artificial intelligence and how rapidly it’s moving, our children are going to get left behind if they don’t learn some of the systematic coding,” he said. “So we really want to make a difference.” For families, schools and community organizations, promoting digital literacy is an investment in youth development that pays off as new tools and platforms emerge.
The Figgers Foundation’s Answer: Florida Connect
The Figgers Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, operates on a simple conviction: technology should create opportunity, not barriers. Its flagship response to the digital divide is Florida Connect, a device loaner program created to bring connected technology to underserved and rural Florida communities at no cost to residents.
What a family receives
Every approved participant receives a modern 5G tablet with a large, easy to read display, front and rear cameras for video calls and virtual classrooms, a simple setup guide, and preloaded apps that comply with the federal Children’s Internet Protection Act. The device includes up to three years of 5G cellular data service, so a family does not need a home internet subscription for the tablet to work. The entire package is provided at no cost. After 36 months, participants return the device so another family can benefit.
Each tablet is registered in the Foundation’s asset management system and can be remotely locked if it is lost, stolen or transferred without authorization. Tablets issued to minors carry CIPA compliant filtering, and parents and guardians can add their own parental controls during setup. A Figgers Foundation Customer Care team handles troubleshooting, repairs and replacements for the life of the program.
Who qualifies
Florida Connect is designed for the people the divide hits hardest. To qualify, an applicant must:
- Reside in one of the program’s 20 participating Florida counties and communities
- Meet income requirements or be enrolled in an eligible public assistance program
- Be a student, job seeker, senior citizen or member of a low income household
- Demonstrate a need for affordable internet access and a digital device
- Hold a valid Florida ID or other proof of residency
How it works
The process was built for families who may be applying from a phone. Applicants complete the form online at figgersfoundation.org/floridaconnect, take a picture of their Florida identification, choose the device that fits their needs, and either pick it up at a local distribution site or have it delivered to their door. Devices are distributed on a first come, first served basis while supplies last. For students, a designated school representative, parent, guardian or caseworker may pick up a device on the student’s behalf, and school districts have a direct line to the Foundation’s program team.
Where it reaches
The Foundation deliberately aimed Florida Connect at the counties the data says are furthest behind. The current service area covers:
- Tallahassee and the Big Bend: Gadsden, Jefferson, Madison, Taylor, Liberty, Calhoun and Jackson counties
- North Central Florida: Hamilton, Lafayette, Dixie, Gilchrist, Levy and Putnam counties
- Northeast Florida: Flagler County
- The agricultural heartland: Hardee, DeSoto, Glades and Okeechobee counties
- South Florida: Broward County and the farmworker community of Immokalee in Collier County
Compare that map with the Census Bureau’s list of Florida’s least connected counties. Madison, Hamilton, Gadsden, Liberty, Calhoun, Jefferson, Taylor and Jackson, eight of the nine counties with the lowest broadband subscription rates in the state, are all Florida Connect counties. The program is not spreading devices thinly across Florida. It is concentrating them where a third of households have no connection at home.
The scale so far
To date, Florida Connect has reached more than 15,000 residents and supported more than 8,500 students and seniors across more than 20 counties. The Foundation expects to serve approximately 12,000 to 15,000 participants during the current enrollment period.
“If these devices help one child with school or help one parent find a job, then this program is hitting the target.”
Freddie Figgers, Founder, The Figgers Foundation
Beyond the Rural Counties: Reaching South Florida Neighborhoods
The digital divide is not only rural. In Broward County and across Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties, thousands of families in working neighborhoods also lack a device or a connection. The Foundation has been meeting them where they live. In the past three months alone:
- On September 24, 2026, the Foundation partnered with the Lauderhill Point Community Center in Lauderhill to distribute 300 tablets to local residents.
- On September 20, 2026, the Foundation brought free tablets to families, students, teachers and older adults at Brown’s Temple Ministry in Pompano Beach.
- On August 22, 2026, the Foundation brought devices and connectivity to residents of the Golden Acres complex in Pompano Beach.
These events build on the programs that established the Foundation’s model. Through Healthcare Tablets for All, the Foundation distributed free tablets to seniors and children with disabilities across South Florida, with devices that include unlimited calling and texting and the ability to add healthcare, banking and insurance apps. In Miami-Dade County, the Foundation’s Miami Connect program supplied free smartphones with internet and cellular service to low income families, and its Safety Net program equipped vulnerable seniors with connected phones and telehealth access during the pandemic.
More Than a Device: Scholarships, Teachers and Mentorship
A tablet opens the door. The Foundation’s other programs help students walk through it.
- The Hidden Figgers Scholarship Program recognizes Florida students for exceptional scholastic achievement and community involvement and helps them continue their education.
- Teacher Recognition and Assistance supports the educators who turn a device into a lesson.
- The Foundation’s Think Tank and its Innovation and Technology programs give young people hands on tools, digital skills and exposure to emerging opportunities, including coding.
- Every Child Christmas, Bike Dreams, Help Everyday People, and Food Insecurity and Disaster Assistance provide the stability a family needs before a child can focus on school.
The Foundation delivers these programs through its own team and a statewide network of schools, churches, community centers and local leaders who help identify the families most in need and host distribution events in their communities.
Preparing Florida Students for the Careers of a Connected Economy
The future of work is tied to technology at every level. Careers in software development, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, data analytics and information technology require specialized digital skills. At the same time, technology has become central to healthcare, education, construction, logistics, business and telecommunications.
Access to digital resources lets students research career paths, explore educational programs, develop new skills and learn the qualifications required for different professions. Early exposure also introduces career possibilities they may never have considered. A student interested in healthcare can explore how digital systems support patient care. A student interested in communications can learn how networks connect people and businesses. Another may discover programming, graphic design, robotics or data analysis through a learning activity on a Florida Connect tablet.
In addition to technical knowledge, students benefit from transferable skills such as communication, collaboration, adaptability, critical thinking and problem solving, which carry them into higher education, vocational training, apprenticeships and employment. By making technology accessible early, communities help young people begin exploring their interests sooner and prepare for a wider range of opportunities.
What Still Needs to Happen: A Shared Responsibility
Closing Florida’s digital divide is a long term commitment, and the Figgers Foundation has built its model around what works: a device in every hand, service that works where families live, and the support to use both. The goal is to make sure that no child in Florida is left offline because of where that child was born or what that child’s family can afford.
Everyone has a role. Schools can integrate technology into instruction and work with the Foundation to get devices to the students who need them. Families can encourage responsible digital habits and apply for the programs they qualify for. Businesses can introduce students to career opportunities and sponsor devices for their communities. Churches, libraries, community centers and local leaders can host distribution events and identify the families who have been left behind.
How to Apply, Partner or Give
- Families, students, job seekers and seniors in participating counties can apply online at figgersfoundation.org/floridaconnect. Devices are limited and demand is high, so early applications are encouraged.
- School districts, community centers, churches and local leaders interested in hosting a distribution event or enrolling students can contact the Foundation’s program team at Info@FiggersFoundation.org.
- Donors and corporate partners can support the program at figgersfoundation.org/donate.
Florida’s next generation of workers is growing up today. In Madison, Gadsden and Hardee counties, in Pompano Beach, Lauderhill and Immokalee, students are opening tablets that connect them to classrooms, careers and a future that was out of reach a year ago. By expanding access to technology, strengthening digital literacy and investing in youth development, the Figgers Foundation is helping ensure that where a child starts does not determine how far that child can go.
“Opportunity shouldn’t depend on where you start.”
The Figgers Foundation
About the Figgers Foundation
The Figgers Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that expands access to technology, education, health resources and opportunity for underserved individuals, families and communities. Founded by entrepreneur and inventor Freddie Figgers, the Foundation works in five areas: digital access, education, health and wellness, family and community, and innovation and technology. Its programs include Florida Connect, the Hidden Figgers Scholarships, Teacher Recognition and Assistance, Every Child Christmas, Bike Dreams, Help Everyday People, and Food Insecurity and Disaster Assistance.
Media Contact:
The Figgers Foundation