Northeastern Illinois University is once again partnering with Google as it joins the Grow with Google HSI Career Readiness Program. Northeastern is the only four-year institution in the state of Illinois to partner with Google on this initiative, which will help Latinx students at 35 Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) prepare for the workforce through digital skills training and career workshops. Through a $2 million investment in the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), the program will train 200,000 Latinx students by 2025.
“As the longest-standing four-year public institution in the Midwest federally designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, Northeastern Illinois University is thrilled to be a part of Grow with Google,” said Interim Assistant Director of Career Development Lorena Gasca. “Northeastern believes in empowering students with the tools they need to successfully navigate their professional exploration and journey. Through this career readiness program, our students will develop skills to secure successful careers in the ever-growing and changing digital marketplace.”
In partnership with HACU, the Grow with Google HSI Career Readiness Program launched in January 2022 and provides HSI career centers with funding and a semester-long in-person and online digital skills program. HACU has a track record of increasing access to education in the Latinx community, and two-thirds of Latinx college students in the U.S. attend one of its member institutions. The initiative combines career workshops, career counseling, and programming on design thinking, project management, and professional brand building. The participating schools will also create additional material tailored to student needs.
“Hispanic-Serving Institutions are key in educating and training students to succeed in the current and future economy, especially in light of the competitive job market,” said HACU President and CEO Antonio R. Flores. “Our partnership with Google on this initiative, which is expanding to 12 more HSIs, will ensure they graduate with the skills and training that prepare them for the digital workplace.”
Google’s latest commitments build on more than $35 million provided to date to expand economic opportunity in the Latinx community. Since 2013, the company’s Google in Residence program has partnered with HSIs and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to place Google software engineers in schools as faculty, and the company also hosts Tech Exchange, a virtual student exchange program that teaches HSI and HBCU students applied computer science courses.
“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 the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities to bring the Grow with Google HSI Career Readiness Program to Northeastern Illinois University to help more students prepare for the workforce and thrive as they start their careers."
Northeastern and Google began a partnership in 2019 to introduce computer science to graduating high school seniors and transfer undergraduate students with a passion for technology—especially students from historically underrepresented groups in the field—through the Computer Science Summer Institute Extension Program.
Northeastern students can learn more about the program and sign up at neiu.edu/GrowWithGoogle.
