On February 5, Goodwill and Google held a tech skills training session for more than 40 job-seekers at the Goodwill NYNJ Astoria headquarters. In addition, 20 Goodwill NYNJ coaches who will support this training for other program participants in the future received a “Train the Trainer” session and 15 Google volunteers provided one-on-one support.
This event kicked-off locally Grow with Google, a new initiative to help create professional opportunities for Americans in the digital economy.
Goodwill NYNJ CEO & President, Katy Gaul-Stigge, hosted three legislators here in Astoria to launch the initiative in the NYC Metro area. U.S. Representative Carolyn Maloney(D-NY), whose district includes the Goodwill headquarters, joined U.S. House Democratic Caucus Chairman Joe Crowley(D-NY) and Representative Ro Khanna(D-CA). They offered remarks, answered questions from the program participants, and then joined them to learn first-hand about the training.
“By making the right investments today, the United States will have a workforce with expertise in new technologies, new ideas, and new jobs that will give American workers access to new opportunities,’ said Chairman Crowley. “Today, the skills gap leaves us unable to adequately address one aspect of America’s unemployment problem, but with opportunities like Grow with Google, in partnership with Goodwill, our hardest-working Americans can secure better paying jobs for tomorrow. I’m thankful for this opportunity to learn more about these exciting opportunities with my colleagues Rep. Khanna and Rep. Maloney.”
“The tech industry is booming here in Queens and businesses often struggle to identify trained workers to fill open jobs. That is why Grow with Google is such an amazing resource for our entire city. Their skills and job training workshops help people develop the knowledge and experience today’s businesses need,” said Representative Carolyn Maloney. “The partnership between Goodwill, the largest workforce development organization in the United States, and Google is a match made in heaven – Goodwill provides people who want training and Google helps them learn skills that are in high demand in our tech hubs. It was truly a pleasure to join Chairman Crowley and Congressman Khanna at the Google Training Center at Goodwill’s headquarters in my district to see the great work that is being done here.”
“It was a pleasure to join my colleagues Rep. Crowley and Rep. Maloney while working with partners, Google and Goodwill, to provide the job training skills of the future,” said Rep. Khanna. “Technology-based jobs are the future of a prosperous American economy. We must continue to make the proper investments and ensure that communities like Astoria have the skills they need to participate and thrive.”
“We are honored to have Representatives Crowley, Maloney, and Khanna join us today, and are excited to put on this program with Goodwill right here in Astoria,” said Carley Graham Garcia, Head of External Affairs in New York City for Google. “Google is committed to helping Americans learn the skills they need to thrive in today’s economy, and it is a privilege to work with Goodwill on that front. Today’s session was a pleasure to lead, and we were inspired by the energy that Goodwill’s learners brought.”
As part of the program, Google.org designated a $300,000 grant for a workforce development initiative with Goodwill NYNJ called the Goodwill Digital Career Accelerator. Google has committed to providing 1,000 staff volunteers to lead digital skills training sessions around the nation, equipping employees with necessary skills for career advancement and future job placement. Google.org’s $10M grant to Goodwill Industries International will support 125 Goodwills across the country over the next three years, and provide training to 1.2 million people.
“Being tech literate is crucial for any person to succeed in the world today, making it imperative that we as an organization provide opportunities for our learners to develop their skills,” said Katy Gaul-Stigge, CEO & President of Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey. “We are honored to have Google as a partner in this effort, and look forward to more training sessions in the coming years. Today’s event is proof that nonprofits, the private sector, and elected officials can work together to advance society, and we can’t thank the legislators who attended enough for their support.”
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, there are currently over six million job openings across the country. Additional data shows that nearly half of all jobs in the United States require basic digital skills (like computer support or programming capability), and that digital-based middle-skill jobs – jobs that don’t require a four year degree – are growing 2.5 times faster than other types of work, and offer 18% higher wages.
About Goodwill Industries International
Goodwill Industries International (GII) is a network of 162 community-based, autonomous organizations in the United States and Canada with a presence in 13 other countries. GII is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that is recognized by GuideStar with its Platinum Seal of Approval, the organization’s highest rating for charities. GII was also ranked by Enso as the #1 brand doing the most good in the world for two consecutive years, and was the only nonprofit brand rated in Forbes’ 20 most inspiring companies for three consecutive years. Local Goodwill organizations are innovative and sustainable social enterprises that create job training programs, employment placement and other community-based programs by selling donated clothing and household items in more than 3,200 stores collectively and online at shopgoodwill.com®. Local Goodwill organizations also build revenue and create jobs by contracting with businesses and government to provide a wide range of commercial services, including packaging and assembly, food services preparation, and document imaging and shredding. Last year, local Goodwill organizations collectively placed more than 313,000 people in employment in the United States and Canada. In addition, more than 35 million people used computers and mobile devices to access Goodwill education, training, mentoring and online learning services to strengthen their skills, and more than 2 million people received in-person services. To learn more, visit goodwill.org.
For more information or to find a Goodwill location near you, use the online locator at Goodwill.org or call (800) GOODWILL. Follow us on Twitter: @GoodwillIntl and @GoodwillCapHill, and find us on Facebook: GoodwillIntl or Instagram: GoodwillIntl.
About Google
Google’s mission is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. Through products and platforms like Search, Maps, Gmail, Android, Google Play, Chrome and YouTube, Google plays a meaningful role in the daily lives of billions of people and has become one of the most widely-known companies in the world. Google is a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc.
About Goodwill NYNJ
Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey, Inc. (Goodwill NYNJ) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization which operates 38 retail stores throughout the region powered by donations of clothing and household items. Goodwill translates those donations into workforce development services for the unemployed and people with disabilities. For over 100 years, our mission has been to empower individuals with disabilities and other barriers to employment to gain independence through the power of work. Annually, Goodwill NYNJ provides services to thousands of Greater New York City metropolitan area residents – in workforce, disability services and retail training leading to employment to build better lives for themselves and their families. Learn more about Goodwill NYNJ at http://www.goodwillnynj.org and follow us on Twitter: @GoodwillNYNJ, and find us on Facebook or Instagram: GoodwillNYNJ.