Technology
Digital Tools Help Augusta Residents Bank, Job Hunt From Home
Free modules and apps are helping people in neighborhoods across the city handle banking, job searches and family connections with fewer trips downtown.
How we reported this
Residents in Augusta's Old Town and Riverside districts now complete job applications and pay utility bills from their phones after enrolling in the city's expanded digital skills program that launched last March.
The shift gained urgency after the 2025 federal broadband expansion funds reached Augusta, allowing local groups to add evening classes and mobile labs that address gaps in basic computer use for adults over 35.
Workshops at Elm Street and the Hilltop branch
The Augusta Tech Center on Elm Street runs weekly sessions on navigating government websites and secure email, while the public library's Hilltop branch offers drop-in help every Tuesday for setting up video calls with relatives abroad. Participants in these programs report spending less time at bank branches on State Avenue and more time managing accounts through apps during lunch breaks at Riverside Park.
One Hilltop attendee learned to file insurance claims online after a January flood damaged her apartment, avoiding a three-hour wait at the downtown office that previously required two bus transfers from her neighborhood.
Numbers show steady uptake since spring
City records indicate 4,200 Augusta adults completed at least one module between March and June 2026, up from 1,900 in the same period last year, according to the digital inclusion office. The average participant saved an estimated $48 in transportation costs over three months by handling tasks remotely rather than visiting offices in person.
Next month the program adds a new series on spotting online scams at the Main Street library annex, with registration open through the city's website or by calling the tech hotline at 555-0142.