Google Canada commits $2 million to reskill job seekers for new careers in technology in under six months
Support includes a three-year Google.org grant to NPower Canada, distributing 5,000 Google Career Certificate scholarships to underserved communities and providing funding to four Canadian nonprofits to support job training programs
[May 17, 2021] — Today Google Canada announced a $2 million commitment in digital skills to train job seekers in Canada for new careers in technology in under six months. The support includes a three-year Google.org grant to NPower Canada to deliver Google Career Certificate programs and to deploy 5,000 need-based scholarships to access the program.
Unemployment rates among visible minority groups and youth ages 15-24 continue to be some of the hardest hit during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Google Career Certificate scholarships will be distributed by NPower Canada, in collaboration with youth and workforce development nonprofits like Pathways to Education, Toronto Public Library and the YMCA, focusing on young Canadian adults from these underserved communities. To further support these initiatives, Google Canada will provide these nonprofits with additional funds to improve existing job training programs.
Google Career Certificates prepare job seekers for new, high-demand careers in growing sectors, with no degree or relevant experience required. The certificates were developed by Google employees as part of Grow with Google, a global initiative designed to create economic opportunities for all. The certificate programs are available in Data Analytics, Project Management, UX Design and IT Support. Outside of NPower Canada’s programming, the certificates are delivered through the online learning platform Coursera and are available in English, with select programs available in French starting in 2022. Every certificate equips learners with theoretical and practical knowledge, and real-life problem-solving skills to be successful in an entry-level technology job.
“To help job seekers that have been hit the hardest by the pandemic, we need to invest in skills training in jobs with demonstrable demand,” says Sabrina Geremia, VP & Country Director, Google Canada. “Google Career Certificates build an onramp to great jobs with no degree or experience required, which helps break down barriers and create opportunities for underserved groups entering the tech workforce.”
“Last year we began offering Google’s IT Support Certificate, and currently 83% of youth who graduated in September 2020 are employed or in a new education post completion of the program,” says Andrew Reddin, Chief Development Officer, NPower Canada. “These programs are filling a demand in the job market; according to Glassdoor, the fields supported by the Google Career Certificates currently have more than 22,000 job openings across the country today. The support from Google provides more opportunities for young adults to start their careers and participate in Canada’s digital economy.”
Since economic opportunity is all about access to jobs, Google Canada is also introducing a Google Career Certificate Employer Consortium for scholarship graduates. The Employer Consortium is a group of employers, including KPMG, TELUS, Google and Loblaw, who will consider graduates of NPower Canada’s Google Career Certificate programs for eligible jobs. Employers interested in connecting with skilled candidates and growing their talent pipeline can join the Google Career Certificate Employer Consortium by visiting grow.google/employerform.
For more information on the Google Career Certificates visit g.co/certificates-canada.
About Google Canada
Google’s mission is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. As a global technology leader, Google’s innovations in web search and advertising have made its website a top internet property and its brand one of the most recognized in the world. Google Canada has offices in Waterloo, Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa with over 2,000 Canadian Google employees working on teams across Engineering, AI Research, Sales and Marketing.
About Google Career Certificates:
The Google Career Certificates were developed by Googlers as part of Grow with Google, a global initiative designed to create economic opportunities. The certificate programs are available in Data Analytics, Project Management, UX Design, IT Support. Outside of NPower Canada’s programming, the certificates are delivered through the online learning platform Coursera and are available in English, with select availability in French starting in 2022.
