# Tech Empowerment Program ### About the Program The COVID-19 pandemic has shown not only the importance of technology in our everyday work and education but also the unequal access to said technology. This is what we refer to as the Digital Divide. A Stanford University study defines the Digital Divide as, " the growing gap between the underprivileged members of society, especially the poor, rural, elderly, and handicapped portion of the population who do not have access to computers or the internet; and the wealthy, middle-class, and young Americans living in urban and suburban areas who have access."\[1] The SPEC Tech Empowerment Program is the Sustainable Progress and Equality Collective's attempt to begin closing the Digital Divide. The program is designed to provide not only the technology to engage in a remote role but the mentorship and skill development to succeed as participants complete the program. Program participants will receive a laptop courtesy of SPEC and its supporters, one-on-one mentorship with a mentor in their desired field, and real-world experience working on projects relevant to their career goals. \[1] The Digital Divide. Accessed October 12, 2021. . ### How to Apply The Tech Empowerment Program accepts applications from anyone who feels they may substantially benefit from participating. Simply complete the Google Form below to submit your application to the SPEC team. If selected, we will work to match you with a donor/sponsor. **Please only apply if you are able to commit to working with SPEC for six (6) months at 40 hours per month.** [**Apply Here**](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/17UOK5tS2ecCVuRimXwzf2XfvAElGZhkhG8jz_yjMWOU/viewform?edit_requested=true) --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://documentation.specollective.org/our-work/citisen/tech-empowerment-program.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.