Rather than lay off employees during the pandemic, Verizon has retained its 135,000 employees and even retrained 20,000 for new careers in an increasingly automated economy. The initiative, called Citizen Verizon, aims to prepare low wage workers for the jobs of the future with skills and educational tools. 

Focusing on vulnerable workers, such as low wage, uneducated, or minority employees, the company is providing digital skills and mentorship to boost their value in the economy. This goes beyond just their employees. Verizon is offering training for factory workers, restaurant employees, and drivers, to name a few. 

In addition, the company has launched an education platform designed to support hybrid learning models being used in school districts across the United States. The program provides digital literacy tools for students and parents as well as curriculum resources for teachers. The program aims to provide 10 million children with digital access and skills training by 2030.

Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg recognizes that sometimes corporations play as big of a role as governments in times of crisis. Verizon aims to show its employees that they are supported now and in the future. This attitude isn’t new for the telecom company. Last year, they invested $216 million in learning and development programs for their employees. 

Vestberg told CNN, “Many of the decisions you’re taking in a crisis like this, they will follow you for years because this is when people, customers, employees will remember how we acted.”