Opportunities for Higher Education and Digital Learning in Infrastructure Workforce Training

While awaiting further developments with the Build Back Better legislation, higher education planners should not lose sight of the training and education components of the recently passed federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) of 2021 and other recent workforce funding. The IIJA infuses $1.2 trillion ($550 billion in new investments) to improve roads and bridges, rail, transit, ports, airports, the electric grid, water systems, and broadband. While IIJA does not include many funds for higher education directly, the overall infrastructure wave presents opportunities for higher education that are outlined in this brief.