In an effort to support the computer science learning of 11 million students in the United States, Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai announced a $20 million grant. This brings Google’s investment in computer science education to over $260 million since 2004.
“We’ll focus our efforts on supporting national and local organizations who reach underserved students in major urban centers and rural communities, and who help governments and educators implement CS education plans nationwide”, said Pichai.
Google.org is providing funding for the project as part of its ‘Grow with Google’ initiative. The CEO of Google, Pichai, stated that if the society’s gap is not closed, the situation will worsen.
By the end of 2023, Google plans to train 2,000 teachers in digital skills, so that it can reach 200,000 rural students. This is a collaborative effort with the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture.
Several other organizations have partnered with Google and received funding to train people for jobs in the growing market. Other than 4-H and Oakland’s Hidden Genius Project, some beneficiary groups include CUNY’s Computing Integrated Teacher Education program and UT Austin’s Expanding Computing Education Pathways Alliance.
This summer, Pichai will join other CEOs to speak out against making computer science a mandatory subject in every K-12 classroom.
In the US, more than 9 million people have already learned new skills through Grow with Google – including Google Career Certificates, which prepare people for careers in growing fields. A partnership between Google and Figma earlier this summer was intended to help students try out software design using Chromebooks.
“We believe Google and other companies have a responsibility to help people get the skills they need to get a good job, start a new business, and provide a solid foundation for their families — no matter what their age or where they live”, added Pichai.