Des Moines Chosen As Launch City For Facebook 'Community Boost'

DES MOINES, IA — Facebook has announced the launch of a new program to train unemployed people, entrepreneurs and small business owners on digital skills and the company announced Des Moines will be one of the five launch cities when the training program rolls out in 2018. The launch of Facebook Community Boost is in response to small businesses indicating the need for more workers skilled in digital and social media and the need for small businesses to expand their own digital footprint, Facebook said.

Facebook's program will include training in 30 cities. Through the Community Boost program, Facebook will work with local organizations to provide the training. Gov. Kim Reynolds said she is pleased Des Moines will be among the initial cities in the training program.

“It’s my priority to ensure that Iowans have the skills they need to fill the jobs of today and tomorrow, and to ensure that Iowa businesses have the tools they need to thrive in the digital economy," she said. "So I’m thrilled that Facebook has chosen Des Moines as a pilot city to launch its new Community Boost program. Facebook has been a great partner in Iowa, and my administration looks forward to working with them on this wonderful project.”

Facebook said that since 2011 it has invested more than $1 billion to support small businesses in a number of ways:

• Boost Your Business has trained more than 60,000 small businesses in the US and hundreds of thousands more around the world.
• More than 1 million small businesses have used Facebook’s free online learning hub, Blueprint.
• More than 70 million small businesses use Facebook's free Pages tool to create an online presence.
• A newly launched digital marketing curriculum will help train 3,000 Michigan residents in digital skills development over the next two years.

"We want to do more to support communities across America — particularly for those who are transitioning to careers that require more digital skills," Dan Levy, Facebook's vice president for Small Business wrote in a company announcement. "It’s why we’re introducing Facebook Community Boost."

Through the program, job seekers will receive training on digital and social media skills, since 62 percent of U.S. small businesses indicate using Facebook and having those skills is a factor in deciding on a job candidate. Entrepreneurs will learn in the training program how technology can help them turn an idea into a business, and business owners will be trained on ways to expand their digital footprint. For people completely new to online, Facebook will have a training course on digital literacy and online safety.

"We’re just getting started, and are pleased to partner with community leaders to learn where we can help," Levy said in the announcement.

The five launch cities for the program also include Houston; St. Louis; Albuquerque, N.M.; and Greenville, S.C.

Photo: The Facebook app logo is displayed on an iPad next to a picture of the Facebook logo on an iPhone on August 3, 2016, in London, England. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty News/Getty Images)