Google Announces a $14 Million Expansion of its Digital Skills Training Initiative with Goodwill

As a part of its broader efforts to assist financial restoration within the wake of the pandemic, Google has introduced an growth of its partnership with Goodwill to assist extra folks from deprived communities within the US and Canada get coaching in digital expertise and literacy.

As per Google:

“Google.org is saying a $14 million reinvestment within the Goodwill Digital Profession Accelerator. This consists of grants and in-kind assist to assist Goodwill proceed to supply digital coaching pathways and assist job placement for folks looking for jobs.”

Google initially launched its Goodwill Digital Profession Accelerator (GDCA) program again in 2019, with $10 million in funding, designed to assist 1.2 million Individuals get the digital expertise they should maximize their alternatives for fulfillment within the trendy job market.

Google’s now increasing its monetary assist for this system by an extra $7 million, which is able to embrace Google.org grants, in addition to an extra $7 million in donated Search adverts designed to assist Goodwill attain greater than 200,000 folks throughout North America.

“The funds assist infrastructure growth and growth, like monitoring techniques for hiring and coaching that can enhance the attain and effectiveness of Goodwill’s companies on the native stage.”

Lastly, by way of its Google.org Fellowship, ten Google workers shall be assigned, full-time, to serving to Goodwill higher attain job seekers on-line to allow them to join with native Goodwill profession coaches.

The funding couldn’t come at a extra crucial time, with many individuals now working to re-establish their life and profession after two years of disruption attributable to the pandemic.

Making this much more urgent, in line with current studies, several million US staff who dropped out of the workforce as a result of pandemic are actually planning to remain out indefinitely because of ongoing fears round contracting the virus.

That underlines the necessity for different work choices to reinvigorate the economic system, and digital expertise coaching may play a crucial position right here, in leaning into the elevated demand for versatile work preparations, whereas additionally aligning with expertise demand.

In keeping with information from LinkedIn, printed final month, digital advertising and marketing expertise are in excessive demand, whereas 62% of working Individuals are contemplating a job change in 2022.

Goodwill has already helped greater than one million folks achieve digital consciousness and new digital expertise by way of the initiative, whereas greater than 300,000 folks have been positioned in jobs on account of the coaching.

The advantages are clear, whereas the coaching packages additionally assist Google to bolster key digital advertising and marketing fundamentals, which may assist to enhance the broader digital market.

It’s a great program, and it’s good to see Google trying to present assist and coaching the place it’s most wanted.