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Google Announces $1 Billion Job Training and Education Program (axios.com)

Posted by msmash on from the further-commitment dept.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai was in Pittsburgh Wednesday to announce a new five-year, $1 billion program to help close the global education gap. From a report: Part of the program was a new "Grow with Google" program to work with U.S. cities as well as a $10 million grant to Goodwill that will see Google employees working with the nonprofit to train people in digital skills. Why it matters: Google, along with Apple, Microsoft and other big tech companies, have all launched significant efforts in recent months to demonstrate their commitment to education and U.S. jobs.

19 of 48 comments (clear)

  1. I think Google's efforts are misplaced! by bogaboga · · Score: 3, Insightful

    They (Google), should try putting their efforts into being a company that actually strives not to do evil by at least paying their fair share of taxes around the world.

    That way, governments can [more] easily spare funds to educate.

    1. Re:I think Google's efforts are misplaced! by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 1, Insightful

      not to do evil by at least paying their fair share of taxes around the world.

      Nonsense. Google spends their money far more wisely than the government would. They are funding education, doing cutting edge research, and providing high quality free services to billions of people. The government would squander it on weapons designed for the last war, or more benefits for rich old white people.

      That way, governments can [more] easily spare funds to educate.

      That is not how they would spend it.

      Thank you Google, for avoiding taxes, and for making the world a better place.

    2. Re:I think Google's efforts are misplaced! by TheGratefulNet · · Score: 1

      Google spends their money far more wisely than the government would

      maybe, but how could we ever tell? most things G works on, they cancel. they are the short-attention-span company of the century (or whole modern age). never saw any entity start something, get it going and then abandon it so much as G does.

      now, back to the government. yes, they are corrupt assholes in charge right now, but there have been times when we actually got our money's worth. roads, infra, jobs programs - we used to take care of our own! we could always do better, but its really rotton right now. but that as it may, its still not a reason to avoid paying taxes when you make SO MUCH and refuse to kick back to the locale. we really do need roads to be fixed, waterways, plumbing, electrical, sewer, COMMUNICATIONS! (the US is still in the dark ages when it comes to internet speeds for so many of us).

      our country needs the taxes. the fact that the current crop of assholes in charge would misspend it is still not a valid reason for the rich co's like G and A to avoid paying taxes. I can't avoid paying taxes; it makes me extremely mad that rich guys get away with this, and their money is much more needed than the tiny amount I earn (and then return to the government).

      tax shelters are immoral. they are unfair by very definition and they only serve the richest people; and those are the ones who certainly need NO more help, thankyouverymuch.

      --

      --
      "It is now safe to switch off your computer."
    3. Re:I think Google's efforts are misplaced! by rtb61 · · Score: 1

      You do realise there is a massive difference between spending money wisely on yourself and for private companies foolishly on other people. Governments are meant to spend all taxpayer money on the taxpayer and as little as possible on themselves. It would be an interesting corporation that worked on that basis, for as little time as it survived spending money on that basis. Google has cheated on taxes some where in the vicinity of $100 BILLION. No matter how badly the government spends that money, more social services will be provided, than the PR speak of spending a billion dollars by a corporation ie I will spend 100 billion dollars on this investment but shhh I will be charging 200 billion dollars for the service it provides and all that money will go to a tax haven where I will pay zero taxes (I just wont talk about the last bit tee hee). A string of Google announcements as B$ PR to cover over them being evil as fuck trying to manipulate elections in their favour, globally https://duckduckgo.com/?q=list... all marketing, heh heh, oh how the tables have turned (typing into one search engine to reach the other one).

      --
      Chaos - everything, everywhere, everywhen
    4. Re:I think Google's efforts are misplaced! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      You can vote on Government spending but you can't vote on Google spending. That's the difference. We are being cut out of the loop by financial artifice.

  2. Grow at Google... by ITapeFatCashews · · Score: 1

    Considering that the average Googler gains 36 pounds from the free food at the café, maybe Google should spend the money on slimming down at Google.

  3. I'd be a lot more impressed by taustin · · Score: 1

    if they donated 1% of that to the Mike Rowe Foundation.

    1. Re:I'd be a lot more impressed by DarkRookie · · Score: 1

      I was wondering what he was doing instead of Dirty Jobs.

      --
      The millennial that doesn't like most of the stuff designed for millennials.
    2. Re:I'd be a lot more impressed by taustin · · Score: 1

      He also does regular podcasts call "The Way I Heard It", and has an internet video thing called "Returning the Favor." But the foundation is a big deal to him, and deserving of a lot more support than it gets.

    3. Re:I'd be a lot more impressed by Rockoon · · Score: 1

      Mike Rowe is smarter than all the execs at Google, so thats not going to happen.

      --
      "His name was James Damore."
  4. self-serving by cjonslashdot · · Score: 1

    Yes, train everyone in the specific skills Google needs, while at the same time importing people from overseas to undercut wages, which thereby discourages people from entering IT.

    "Man, this job running cable in the Google data center is great! I woulda' been a programmer, but it doesn't pay well anymore".

    1. Re:self-serving by AmiMoJo · · Score: 1

      I'd love to see a break down of the return on investing $1bn in education.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
  5. Garden by DarkRookie · · Score: 1

    Gotta get them in the walled garden early it seems now.

    --
    The millennial that doesn't like most of the stuff designed for millennials.
  6. "Digital Skills" by gweihir · · Score: 1

    As in using coding languages and styles only used at Google? And unless you are very good at this Google will not offer you a job? I smell a whole mountain of rats.

    --
    Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.
  7. Incubate by fluffernutter · · Score: 1

    I imagine Google is eagerly awaiting all the good ideas they will harvest from these students. I am anticipating an 'incubator' program near the end of training that sidelines students and takes control as soon as their ideas start to come to fruition.

    --
    Laws are rules for the court, but merely a bottom bar to hit for life. Think beyond laws in your actions always.
  8. They wrongly assume the jobless is at fault by edgedmurasame · · Score: 1

    They assume the wrong party is at fault - the jobless - while letting employers off the hook for unreasonable requirements.

    If they wanted to make a difference, they'd be getting employers to take the people that we have.

    --
    "Forget the engineers." -Carly Fiorina, briber of MIT Technology Review.
  9. Goodwill a non-profit? Technically yes, but ... by Herschel+Cohen · · Score: 1

    Last I heard the CEO profits nicely with $1M plus USD while paying less than minimum wage due to employing handicapped individuals. Goodwill as an entity seems profitable venture while being disguised (legally) as a charity. Really is this the best partner Google could enlist?

    Goodwill is a dubious partner even if the goal is laudatory.

  10. A mere $1B of goodwill money sprinkled around by SlaveToTheGrind · · Score: 1

    on some splashy initiatives that are easy to feel good about, and all of a sudden Google isn't evil anymore.

    Sorta like how Escobar threw around money hand over fist building apartment buildings, soccer fields, etc., to keep public opinion on his side.

    1. Re: A mere $1B of goodwill money sprinkled around by Reverend+Green · · Score: 1

      One difference. Escobar probably really did love his country and care about the wellbeing of the common people. Google obviously does not.