Alabama A&M University is among 20 Historically Black Colleges and Universities to join the Grow with Google HBCU Career Readiness Program.

Through a $1 million investment in the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, the Google-backed program provides digital skills workshops in HBCU career centers to help Black students prepare for the workforce.

“The global pandemic has punctuated and underscored the emerging role that digital skills will have in the workplace,” said Yvette S. Clayton, Director, Career Development Services for Alabama A&M University. “The new norm will mandate that all college students have some form of mastery of digital skills.”

Announced last October, the initiative’s goal is to reach 20,000 students during the current school year. Today’s announcement brings the number of participating campuses to 20, and the program will be available to all HBCUs by fall 2021.

“Google believes investing in HBCU students strengthens the future workforce and increases economic opportunity,” said Bonita Stewart, Vice President for Global Partnerships at Google and Howard University alumna. “We’re proud to expand our Grow with Google HBCU Career Readiness Program with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund to reach more HBCU students with the digital skills they need to thrive in the workforce.”

The Thurgood Marshall College Fund — the nation’s largest organization exclusively representing the Black College Community — has a track record of connecting HBCU students with scholarships, training and jobs as they navigate college and careers. Its long history of on-the-ground work ensures the Grow with Google HBCU Career Readiness Program is tailored to meet student needs.

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

The Grow with Google HBCU Career Readiness Program provides HBCU career centers with funding and a semester-long, in-person and online digital skills program. The program combines Grow with Google workshops with custom job seeker content for black students, including design thinking, project management and professional brand building.

The Thurgood Marshall College Fund, which is contributing to the program’s design, will work with HBCU career centers to onboard the program.

This $1 million Grow with Google investment is part of a $15 million commitment to upskill black workers. Announced by Google CEO Sundar Pichai last June, the investment aims to help black job seekers learn skills in partnership with national workforce development organizations.

Grow with Google is Google’s initiative to create economic opportunities for all by providing free tools and training. Since 2017, the program has trained more than 5 million Americans on digital skills. The Grow with Google HBCU Career Readiness Program builds on the company’s ongoing investments in HBCU students.