The landscape of education and career readiness is ever-evolving, demanding constant adaptation to ensure students are well-prepared for the future workforce. As technology continues to reshape industries, possessing strong digital skills has become indispensable. Recognizing this critical need, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF), the nation’s largest organization dedicated to the Black college community, has partnered with Google to launch a transformative initiative: the Grow With Google Hbcu Career Readiness Program. This program directly addresses the digital skills gap and empowers students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to excel in today’s technology-driven job market.
Understanding the urgency of this mission, TMCF highlights a concerning statistic: a significant percentage of young adults feel their education doesn’t adequately equip them with the necessary skills for employment. Compounding this challenge, a substantial portion of Black job seekers currently lack the digital proficiency that employers increasingly demand. In fact, studies reveal that a majority of jobs across the United States require at least medium-level digital skills. The Grow with Google HBCU Career Readiness Program is strategically designed to bridge this divide, bringing essential digital skills training directly to HBCU career centers.
This groundbreaking program is set to train 20,000 HBCU students over the upcoming academic year, providing them with invaluable resources and expertise. While HBCUs are known for their diverse student populations, they also disproportionately serve students from low-income backgrounds and first-generation college attendees, who may face unique academic and professional readiness challenges. The Grow with Google HBCU Career Readiness Program directly tackles these disparities by offering crucial funding, hands-on digital skills workshops, and tailored job seeker content to HBCU career centers. This comprehensive approach ensures that students and alumni gain the practical tools and training necessary not only to secure meaningful employment but also to thrive and advance in their chosen careers.
Initially launched at four pioneering HBCUs – Bowie State University, Virginia State University, Winston-Salem State University, and Southern University A&M College – the program’s reach is rapidly expanding. The goal is to include 20 HBCUs by January of the following year, with plans to make the program accessible to all HBCUs nationwide by Fall 2021. The Grow with Google HBCU Career Readiness Program represents a significant step forward in fostering equitable access to digital skills education and ensuring that HBCU graduates are exceptionally well-prepared to lead and innovate in the digital age.
