Pueblo library district partners with Google to improve Puebloans' tech skills
The Pueblo City-County Library District has partnered with Google to offer a free program that allows people to improve their digital skills and better connect with employers.
The program’s courses, designed by Google, offer professional training to obtain certificates in IT support, data analytics, cybersecurity, project management, and user experience design, among others.
The training is tailored to help people improve their digital literacy and connect them with employers who are hiring for digital-centric positions. All of the course work for each certificate is online.
“Economic development and workforce readiness are strategic goals of the library district,” Sherri Baca, executive director of PCCLD, said in a news release. “We are thrilled to partner with Google to bring high-value, on-demand training and professional development to the Pueblo community.”
There is no payment, college degree, or prior work experience needed to participate in the program. It typically costs up to $300 to acquire a Google career certificate for people who don't have access to the courses through partnerships.
Completion of the courses typically takes between three and six months. It is estimated that people must dedicate five to 10 hours to the courses each week to obtain a certificate in that timeframe.
People can sign up for a course on the library’s website.
An effort to boost the local workforce
The library district has been a partner with Grow with Google, a skills-driven initiative by the company, since 2019, offering its lineup of program materials to patrons.
The Google Career Certificate program is an expansion of that. The library district already works with the Small Business Development Center and Pueblo Workforce Center to address the community's workforce. This program is an addition to those efforts, said Nick Potter, spokesperson for the library district.
“In working with those partners, you can definitely see that there are (digital) skill gaps,” Potter said. He noted that those partners have conveyed there are more people who need help with their digital skills than there are employers.
The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment estimates there are approximately 73,000 Coloradans lacking the necessary skills to use digital tools for work, learning, and quality of life.
A study from the National Skills Coalition found that 92% of jobs require digital skills, but one-third of workers don’t have a foundation of those skills. Black and Latino workers are most represented among groups that report digital skill gaps.
The report also stated that public investments to close a digital skill gap can “generate measurable economic payoff for businesses, workers, and the broader economy.” Furthermore, it shared that people can make more money at jobs that require at least one digital skill.
“Mainly, this is just a free resource that people can take advantage of and just could better our workforce overall,” Potter said.
The library district had a soft launch of the program last week before announcing it publicly on Monday. As of Monday afternoon, 30 people had enrolled in courses, which are targeted for people who are ages 16 and up.
A survey of program graduates found that 75% reported a career upgrade within six months of course completion. Some people said they landed a new job, promotion, or raise.
In the coming months, the library district plans to reach out to local employers and see if current or new employees could use the program to improve their digital skills. The library district has a list of employers it intends to reach out to, but it is not yet finalized, Potter said.
People who want to participate in the program can check out Chromebooks from the library district or use any of the laptop vending machines at its branches if they don’t have a computer. They can also use its technology training center to receive program assistance from a librarian, Potter said.
“Our team stands by to help adults achieve their learning goals and acquire new skills,” Baca said in the release. “The Google Career Certificates program allows learners to move at their own pace, helps them stand out to employers, and provides a path to in-demand jobs.”
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Chieftain reporter Josué Perez can be reached at JHPerez@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @josuepwrites. Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com.
This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Pueblo library district, Google partner on tech skills program
