1. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact
Stephanie Margossian
415.692.1202
margossian@realpolitech.com
January 23, 2012
JobScout Helps California Fight Unemployment by Teaching Digital
Literacy Skills Through Online Social Gaming
iCALIFORNIA launches with JobScout, an online social gaming platform teaching
valuable digital literacy skills to get California jobseekers back to work
San Francisco, CA – JobScout, the flagship initiative of the iCALIFORNIA
campaign, will officially launch on February 1, 2012. A partnership of dozens of
organizations including the California State Library, the LINK AMERICAS Foundation
and REALPOLITECH, iCALIFORNIA is dedicated to improving access to high-speed
technology and increasing digital literacy rates in the state of California.
As the concept of community has moved beyond local to global and virtual,
providing access and equitable space online is more important now than ever. For
those of us who have access to technology and are familiar with it, it is difficult to
imagine not knowing how to use the Internet. From completing small tasks like finding
out what is playing at the local movie theater to finding information on vital government
services, the Internet has moved from a luxury to a necessity for gathering and sharing
information.
It is hard then to imagine that in California, the home of Silicon Valley, 1 in 5
people are not digitally literate. For those Californians unfamiliar with the Internet,
finding a job in today’s economy is particularly difficult, as fewer employment resources
are made available in print.
JobScout, available in a beta release at jobscout.caltrail.com, is an integrated
web and mobile platform designed to help get Californians back to work, by teaching
jobseekers the digital literacy skills they need to find a job. JobScout is specifically
designed for those traditionally disenfranchised by the digital divide. JobScout uses
game design to teach and reinforce basic digital literacy skills by 1) engaging users in
self-paced online activities that focus on digital literacy competencies, 2) assisting
users in mastering these skills in order to apply online for a job and 3) enabling users to
network on and offline.

2. JobScout is currently being piloted in four library jurisdictions in California. Over
23 million Californians use the library’s resources every year. Many library patrons
utilize libraries for their technological resources. Jobseekers without access to the
Internet at home can find JobScout available at library branches in the County of Los
Angeles Public Library, San Jose Public Libraries, Santa Cruz Libraries and Yolo County
Library. JobScout can also be accessed for free on any computer at
jobscout.caltrail.com.
iCALIFORNIA officially launches on Digital Learning Day with a live
demonstration of JobScout’s newest features and lessons. The iCALIFORNIA launch
will take place at the Los Rios Community College Work Force Development Center,
1410 Ethan Way, Sacramento, California on February 1, 2012 at 8:00 a.m. To attend
this event in person, please visit http://www.linkamericas.org/icalifornia.html to RSVP.
The event can also be seen live on Ustream at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/jobscout.
About the LINK AMERICAS Foundation
The LINK AMERICAS Foundation fosters collaborative initiatives demonstrating
the value of Technology Serving Humanity in the areas of Life, Information, Nature,
Knowledge (LINK). The foundation supports educational, environmental and social
development, and research projects that further LINK objectives by promoting strategic
alliances for systemic and sustained change. Priority focus areas for LINK projects are
educational and social media technologies, sustainable resource development, green
technologies and Information and Communications Technologies (ICT).
linkamericas.org
About REALPOLITECH
REALPOLITECH is a digital public relations and web strategy consultancy. The
firm focuses on the development of customizable, interactive campaigns and websites
for dynamic public and private sector projects. Through web development and real-time
and social digital public relations solutions, REALPOLITECH recruits participants,
creating the most valuable asset for any business or cause: digital citizens.
realpolitech.com
About the California State Library
The California State Library advises, consults with, and provides technical
assistance to California’s public libraries. It directs state and federal funds to support
local public libraries and statewide library programs, and services.
library.ca.gov
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