LimeLight: NC Central, Saint Augustine join Google’s HBCU digital skills program

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RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK – Google today announced that the Grow with Google HBCU Career Preparation Program has been expanded to sixteen new Historical Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), including the Central University of North Carolina and the University of Saint Augustine in North Carolina. With a $ 1 million investment in the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF), the program provides digital skills workshops at HBCU career centers to help black students prepare for the workforce. The goal of the initiative, announced in October, is to reach 20,000 students in the current academic year. Today’s announcement brings the number of participating schools to twenty. The program will be available to all HBCUs by the autumn of 2021.

“Access to career development and workforce education is mandatory for every student,” said Congressman Deborah Ross. “Thanks to Google’s generosity and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, students at Saint Augustine’s University will be equipped with the skills needed to find a job and increase their economic potential through the Grow with Google HBCU Career Preparation Program.”

The largest organization in the country that specifically represents the Black College Community, TMCF has a history of successfully connecting HBCU students with scholarships, career training and jobs as they navigate college and careers. Its long history of on-site work ensures that the Grow with Google HBCU Career Preparation Program is designed to meet student needs.

“A fundamental part of TMCF’s mission is to prepare the next generation of workforce talent. Thurgood Marshall College Fund President and CEO Dr. “Our partnership with Google makes this mission possible and ensures that students from Historical Black Colleges and Universities are positioned to compete for meaningful careers,” said Harry L. Williams.

“We are excited to partner with Google and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund to facilitate the Grow with Google HBCU Career Readiness Program. This initiative will help our students at North Carolina Central University develop their digital skills, which makes them viable and employable citizens upon graduation.” Dr. Angela Coleman, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs at North Carolina Central University, said, “We also look forward to all the resources our alumni and faculty have access to. It will really benefit the NCCU community, ”he said.

The Grow with Google HBCU Career Preparation Program, which started last October, offers funding and a semester-long face-to-face and online digital skills program to HBCU career centers. The program combines existing Grow with Google workshops with dedicated job seeker content for Black students, including design thinking, project management, and professional branding. Contributing to the design of the program, TMCF will work with HBCU career centers to be included in the program.

“Employment is the main driver of economic mobility. Being prepared with technical intelligence is an essential facilitator needed to enter today’s market. Saint Augustine’s Interim President Dr. “We are excited about the opportunities that the Grow with Google (GwG) HBCU Career Readiness Program partnership will welcome Saint Augustine’s University as workforce-ready graduates and leaders strive to become production custodians,” said Maria A. Lumpkin. Augustine University.

This $ 1 million Grow with Google investment is part of a $ 15 million commitment to develop Black workers. The investment, announced by Google CEO Sundar Pichai last June, aims to help Black jobseekers learn new skills in partnership with national workforce development organizations.

Grow with Google is Google’s initiative to create affordable opportunities for everyone by providing free tools and education. The program has trained more than five million Americans in digital skills since 2017. The Grow with Google HBCU Career Preparation Program is based on the company’s ongoing investments in HBCU students. Since 2013 Google In Residence The program has placed Google software engineers as faculty in HBCUs and Hispanic Service Institutions (HSI). The company also hosts Tech ExchangeA virtual student exchange program that provides hands-on computer science courses to HBCU and HSU students.

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