A fifth of American’s don’t have Internet access and the demographic profile of those without access — generally older and less educated — match up to those who are the newly unemployed according to an MSNBC article published today.

This digital divide separates not only who qualify for jobs and who does not, but also who can apply for jobs and who cannot as many company’s application systems require you to fill out an online form and submit a resume in an electronic format.  Even what many would consider a simple task such as sending an email with a resume attached confound the newly unemployed. Forget about asking someone to use a computer to manipulate a spreadsheet or create a presentation.

Did these people loose their jobs because of their lack of computer skills? Probably not outright, but being able to complete everyday computer tasks probably would have made them more valuable to their former employers. Maybe a some of these stimulus/recovery funds still floating around should be spent on computer and Internet classes for the newly unemployed.