The University of South Dakota announced its participation in the Grow with Google Indigenous Career Readiness Program. The initiative helps prepare Native students at more than 50 Native-serving organizations for the workforce through digital skills training and career workshops. By providing $1 million to the Partnership With Native Americans (PNWA) to embed the program in schools, Google aims to help train 10,000 Native students on digital skills and career readiness by 2025.
“The University of South Dakota’s participation in the Grow with Google Indigenous Career Readiness Program is a welcome one,” said Rep. Dusty Johnson ’99. “Digital skills are increasingly necessary in the workplace, and promoting career readiness among college students will enhance our workforce. I appreciate Google for leading this program to fill in the gaps among Native college students. I look forward to seeing the fruitful results of this program in South Dakota.”
“Native Student Services at the University of South Dakota is thrilled to be in partnership with the Grow with Google grant,” said Megan Red Shirt-Shaw, Native Student Services director. “This program will allow us to provide further opportunity to connect and create community for our students in their professional careers and aspirations. We are grateful to the Partnership With Native Americans team for their support in these efforts.”
As part of Google’s commitment to supporting Native American jobseekers, the program partners with Native-serving organizations to help students develop the digital skills they need to find and secure internships and jobs that will help them build successful careers. Over the next four years, the Partnership with Native Americans will provide curriculum and trainers at tribal colleges and universities, Native American-serving nontribal institutions, high schools, and vocational programs.
“We are excited to partner with Google to launch the Grow with Google Indigenous Career Readiness Program. PWNA appreciates Google taking the initiative to bridge the digital divide in Indian Country. The gap that exists goes beyond the cable infrastructure, hardware, internet access, and extends to the technical skills for education and employment,” said Joshua Arce, president & CEO, Partnership With Native Americans. “Google has demonstrated their willingness to meet the students where they are at, with the tools that they have, to provide a best-in-service digital training program designed to increase technical proficiencies and employable skills for Native students. Grow with Google training translates into immediate incentives and adds technical skills to a student’s digital toolbox that they can build on in the future.”
Started in 2021, the Grow with Google Indigenous Career Readiness Program provides Native-serving organization career centers with funding and a semester-long in-person and online digital skills program. The program combines existing Grow with Google workshops with job seekers including design thinking, project management, and professional brand building. Partnership With Native Americans works with Native-serving organization career centers to onboard the program. Grow with Google’s Indigenous Career Readiness program builds on a $10 million, multi-year grant to The National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) to create a National Digital Navigator Corps. The corps will span 18 rural and tribal communities across the United States and impact thousands of people through one-on-one technology training and community outreach to connect people to the internet, appropriate devices, and training.
“Every student should have the opportunity to learn digital skills for today’s in-demand jobs,” said Tia McLaurin, community engagement manager, Google. “We’re proud to work with Partnership With Native Americans to bring the Grow with Google Indigenous Career Readiness Program to the University of South Dakota to help more students prepare for the workforce and thrive as they start their careers.”
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