Google and the Community College of Philadelphia have partnered up on a workforce development program, that organizers said, will help students learn skills they need to attain high-paying jobs.
On Monday, elected officials gathered at the community college, in Philadelphia’s Spring Garden section, to tout the new partnership which, organizers said would, make industry recognized Google Career Certificates available to students in the city.
“The talent in Philadelphia is incredible, and I’m thrilled that Community College of Philadelphia is providing the Google Career Certificates program to advance its workforce development offerings,” said U.S. Congressman Dwight Evans (D-3rd dist.) in a statement. “This initiative is an important investment in the state’s talent and economic future.”
Through this partnership, officials said, the Community College of Philadelphia will also provide Google’s new Google AI Essentials course that is designed and taught by AI experts at Google.
“This initiative represents a landmark moment for education and employment in Philadelphia,” said State Rep. Morgan Cephas (D-192nd dist.) in a statement. “This partnership represents progress in our efforts to prepare Philadelphia residents for the future work in technology and beyond.”
Officials said that the Google Career Certificates program equips people with skills for entry-level jobs in the fields of cybersecurity, data analytics, digital marketing & e-commerce, IT support, project management, and UX design, with no experience required.
The program works with over 150 companies that are interested in hiring people trained in the certificate fields, including Pennsylvania-based employers such as Google, Expedient, SAP, and the Project Management Institute, according to organizers.
“We are proud to collaborate with Community College of Philadelphia to offer the Google Career Certificates program to thousands of people throughout the city,” said Winton Steward, Public Affairs Manager at Google in a statement. “Google has called Pennsylvania home for over 15 years, and we are dedicated to investing in the state’s economic growth by ensuring its students and workers have access to training for today’s jobs.”