Podcasts
Brandon Dinsmore seeks to unlock potential in tribal communities by steering members toward well-paying careers in communications.
By: Brad Randall, Broadband Communities
Connectivity on tribal lands can open doors for tribal communities, according to Brandon Dinsmore, a tribal outreach and workforce programs specialist at Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology.
Dinsmore said connectivity on tribal lands can lead to interesting possibilities, like hosting data centers, and can unlock economic potential.
“Personally, I look at this as a massive public works initiative,” Dinsmore told Beyond the Cable. “Something that we’ve all come together to try to do on this massive scale.”
Dinsmore said he sees excitement with his students when they begin to understand the depth of possibilities that connectivity can unearth.
Existing disparities between life on and off of reservations also motivates Dinsmore, who himself is a Cherokee citizen.
He said grants from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) kickstarted the tribal telecommunications workforce development program into high gear.
Dinsmore said he can personally attest to the sparse nature of connectivity on tribal lands.
When it comes to breaking down barriers, Dinsmore said the first step is having the conversation.
“Building trust, that’s a big thing,” he said.
The customized workforce development training offered by OSU’s non-credit program equates to hands-on skills training, he added, stating that he drives to meet communities “at their level.”
He said careers in telecommunications, while they may not be the flashiest jobs around, offer high-paying career pathways that can empower tribal residents.
To listen to the full interview with Brandon Dinsmore on Spotify, click here.
Apple Podcasts listeners, meanwhile, may listen to the episode by clicking here.
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