Sec. 2. Findings

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Congress finds the following: Rural communities have unique workforce considerations and challenges. Almost 25 percent of Americans live in rural communities, and while urban areas have experienced job and population growth, rural communities face static or declining populations and job decline. Rural communities were hit harder and recovered more slowly than urban centers during the 2007–2008 recession and have experienced more economic depression and decline in college enrollment due to the COVID–19 pandemic.

Rural communities historically have lower rates of postsecondary education, which is a barrier to traditional employment in industries like agriculture and manufacturing. The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs report estimates that by 2025 over half of all employees will require “significant” reskilling creating a significant demand for workforce development and training programs. Immersive technologies are proving effective in helping rural communities tackle these challenges.

Technologically mediated training can include extended reality

(XR)tools (such as augmented reality, virtual reality, mixed reality, and high-tech simulations), which are increasingly valued as resources to train workers in industries ranging from manufacturing to health care, agriculture to construction, and clean energy to public safety. Use of immersive technology permits on-site training and continued education, promotes efficiency, aids recruiting as well as retention, improves communication and collaboration, and increases safety. Immersive technologies allow workers to train directly under the supervision and tutelage of more experienced experts who are located outside of the local community. These technologies help workers remain well equipped for the demands of the modern economy. As the need for reskilling increases, so will the need for technologies which support American workers rather than replace them. Building in accessibility features in immersive technology for usability by individuals with disabilities, including disabled veterans, allows inclusive immersive technology to benefit more workers. Community colleges, area career and technical education centers, and other training providers are uniquely positioned to support rural communities in skills development and workforce training. People without a postsecondary credential are 4 times more likely to have a job that can be lost to automation than those who have one, increasing their need to learn new skills in order to remain competitive and employable. Community colleges provide education at a lower cost, with most graduates incurring no student debt. In addition to providing lower cost workforce development training and skills education applicable across a range of roles and occupations, community colleges serve as large regional employers and critical community hubs. Offering grants to community colleges and area career and technical education centers in rural areas to develop and provide immersive technology training programs will help rural communities or significantly serve rural areas in the short term and position them for success in the longer term. Despite their proven value, community colleges and area career and technical education schools bear significant funding limitations and shortages. Providing immersive technology training programs through community colleges can help rural communities retain local talent, whether by providing qualification for new local jobs or for remote employment opportunities with companies headquartered in urban centers that are struggling to fill jobs. Ensuring the accessibility of immersive technology training tools can expand opportunities for people with disabilities to learn and work from wherever they reside. Given that some people with disabilities choose remote options to meet their access needs, it is critical to make immersive technology training tools accessible to everyone. Immersive technology training partnership with community colleges and area career and technical education schools also complements recent Federal funding for broadband connection and physical infrastructure, the two other biggest hurdles facing rural students and workers seeking reskilling or upskilling.