Board of Regents and Google announce career training opportunities for thousands of students

The Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) and Google announced a new partnership Tuesday that will help thousands of Tennessee community and technical college students earn Google Career Certificates in high-growth fields. TBR will also offer students the company’s new Google AI Essentials course, designed and taught by AI experts at Google to teach foundational skills in artificial intelligence technology. 

According to Brookings, nearly two-thirds of all new jobs created since 2010 require either high- or medium-level digital skills, but one in three American workers have very limited or no digital skills. Google Career Certificates help by preparing learners for the in-demand fields of Cybersecurity, Data Analytics, Digital Marketing & E-commerce, IT Support, Project Management, and User Experience (UX) Design. Google’s partnership with TBR to offer the certificates will help students gain job-ready skills and an industry-recognized certificate.

TBR - The College System of Tennessee comprises the state’s 37 public Community Colleges and Colleges of Applied Technology. Chattanooga, Motlow, Nashville and Volunteer State Community Colleges have begun offering Google Career certificates and are seeing positive student outcomes. With today’s announcement, Google is extending the certificate programs to other participating TBR colleges across the state.

Participating colleges may offer the certificate programs in varied ways, including embedding the courses in existing classes, as stand-alone courses for enrolled students, and as career-training opportunities through their workforce development divisions (which work directly with employers to provide training for existing and prospective employees).

“We’re delighted to enter this exciting partnership with Google, not only because it’s a global brand synonymous with innovation, but also for the skills-building opportunities Google is making available to our students and the value that the certificates will bring to their careers,” said Dr. Flora W. Tydings, Chancellor of the TBR system.

The partnership enhances both the TBR mission of Student Success and Workforce Development and its Strategic Plan, which calls for its three key pillars – Open Access, Completion, and Community and Workforce Development – to be fulfilled in part by strengthening collaboration with partners, harnessing innovation, and enhancing institutional capacity.  “The Google-TBR partnership bridges all of those themes – to the benefit of our students, our communities, and our state,” Dr. Tydings said. Board of Regents Vice Chair Emily J. Reynolds also attended.

“Tennessee is home to Google’s Montgomery County data center, and we’re committed to empowering local students and workers with the skills they need to thrive in the digital economy,”  said Rob Magliaro, Workforce Partnerships Lead, Google. “Our collaboration with the Tennessee Board of Regents to bring Google Career Certificates and AI Essentials to community colleges statewide advances this work. This initiative will provide training for in-demand jobs, boosting career opportunities and economic mobility for Tennesseans for years to come."

Google Career Certificates can be completed within three to six months of part-time study, with no experience required. The courses are provided online through Coursera and may be supplemented on some campuses with in-classroom support. Designed and taught by Google employees, each certificate includes 100+ practice and graded assessments, quizzes, or writing assignments to ensure rigor and mastery. To help prepare learners for careers, the program also provides resources including resumé templates, coaching from Career Circle and interview practice. Graduates are also connected with an employer consortium of over 150 companies—including, Ford, Verizon and Google—that considers them for relevant roles. 

More than 250,000 people have earned a Google Career Certificate in the U.S., and 75 percent of graduates report a positive career impact – such as a new job, raise, or promotion – within six months of completion. 

The announcement event was held at Motlow State Community College’s Smyrna Campus, where Dr. Michael Torrence, the college’s president, noted Motlow’s early participation in the program. “We’ve already seen colleges like Motlow and Chattanooga State Community College take advantage of Google Career Certificates, allowing students to earn up to 18 academic credits towards their Associate degrees,” he said.

Stacey Bradley, Information Technology Manager for the City of Red Bank, Tennessee, described her experience in earning an IT Specialist certificate through the Google Career Certificates program at Chattanooga State. “The training I received helped me hit the ground running. In just five months, I was promoted to IT Manager. The Google certificate was more than just a qualification, it was a gateway to new opportunities and growth. It gave me the skills and confidence to excel in my field and advance quickly in my career,” she said.

State Senator Dawn White of Murfreesboro, whose district includes the Smyrna campus, said, “Creating pathways to careers are so important for our state and our community. That’s why I’m super excited to be here today to celebrate this partnership in bringing Google Career Certificates and AI training to students across the state.”

State Representative Mike Sparks of Smyrna, who also represents the area, said, “I’m proud that my alma mater, Motlow State, was among the first colleges in the TBR system to take advantage of this exciting partnership with Google.  The Google certifications earned by Motlow students will serve them well as they prepare for the jobs of the future”

State Representative Tim Rudd of Murfreesboro also attended the announcement, along with other community, business and industry representatives.