Want to get certified in data analytics before you graduate high school? Thanks to a new partnership between New York City schools and Google, students at some schools around the five boroughs may soon be able to.
The tech industry giant will serve as the first tech-anchor employer partner for FutureReadyNYC, a career-readiness initiative that serves roughly 7,000 students at 100 participating schools, Mayor Eric Adams announced at a Wednesday press conference.
Through the partnership, students will be able to learn tools like SQL, Tableau, the R programming language, and more through Google’s Data Analytics Certificate program — a roughly 240-hour online course that ordinarily costs $49 per month. Students will also receive opportunities for career programming, paid work-based learning experiences, and mentorship from tech professionals, according to city officials.
Initially, Google’s Data Analytics certificates will be available to students in FutureReadyNYC high schools that are launching data science pathways, a spokesperson for the city’s education department said. Google will also offer training to teachers to teach the courses. Paid work-based learning experiences, meanwhile, will be available to students who are in schools participating in the FutureReadyNYC, as well as Career Readiness and Modern Youth Apprenticeship initiatives and career and technical education programs, officials said.
The effort comes as city officials seek to establish stronger and more equitable pipelines to careers in technology for students — working to bridge opportunity gaps that exist across the city. It coincides with a $19 million investment by the Adams administration in FutureReadyNYC, which operates at schools throughout the five boroughs — one part of a larger City Hall plan to create a more inclusive workforce, and a continuation of schools Chancellor David Banks’ broad efforts to expand career education.
“At the heart of what we want to accomplish is exposure — exposure is so important,” Adams said. “[Students] are coming from communities that historically did not have access to technology… They walk into a place and try to get employed, and then we ask the question, ‘Why don’t you have the skills?’ Because we did not build out the infrastructure and the pipeline for them to get the skills.”
Google has committed $4 million to expand tech opportunities in New York — with $250,000 devoted to student pathways work in the city and $500,000 to CUNY schools.
Through the investment, the company will be the inaugural partner for the CUNY Tech Equity initiative, helping expand opportunities and curriculum in technology at its campuses and growing the number of paid internships available to students.
Google operates its second largest office in NYC, employing thousands of people across two campuses in Chelsea and Hudson Yards.
Adams called the partnership, “A win for our young people, a win for our communities, a win for our city, and a win for innovation.”
Julian Shen-Berro is a reporter covering New York City. Contact him at jshen-berro@chalkbeat.org.
