Google’s $14 Million Goodwill Investment Challenges The Need For College Degrees

Google’s charity arm Google.org has announced that it will invest $14 million into the Goodwill Digital Career Accelerator. 

The organization aims to fund nonprofits that are helping boost the skills of underrepresented communities and provide them with more opportunities for good-paying jobs.  

This new investment is part of a $100 million grantmaking portfolio that aims to provide excluded professionals, such as those without a college degree, access to modern, technical-driven jobs. 

Hector Mujica, head of economic opportunity Americas at Google.org, cited a statistic that shows just 36% of American adults have a four-year college degree. This indicates a huge job opportunity disparity for those in rural areas, as well as Black and Latine workers. 

Through this funding, Google hopes to fill in the wide digital skills gap that exists in today’s workforce. Those without the privilege to afford higher education are less likely to be prepared for the future of work, which heavily relies on modern tools and technologies. 

With Goodwill’s digital training program, job seekers not only obtain new skills, but have a world of career opportunities within their reach.   

Its partnership with Google allows program participants to adopt training and certifications in Google programs, giving them a chance to stand out from job applicants despite not having a college degree.