Google is committed to expanding and diversifying the skilled trades workforce to empower our data center communities.
Leading the effort on growing local talent for the digital future Preparing todayâs workforce for tomorrowâs data centersWe identify areas of need for future talent resources and work with state and local organizations to define the best approaches to bridge skills gaps.
We then collaborate with education and training organizations to build talent pathways and opportunities so our neighbors can thrive in the growing digital economy.
âWith the pace and intense curriculum of the STAR (Skilled Trades and Readiness) Program, I felt informed enough to start my job with confidence when I got out into the field.â
Jemal Shabazz
Nebraska STAR Program Graduate
Skilled Trades and Readiness (STAR) Program graduate Jemal Shabazz sits on the campus where he earned his certification in Omaha, Nebraska.
Boosting interest, training, and career opportunities in the trades Data Center Career ExplorerEver wondered what keeps Googleâs products working? If youâre a middle school or high school student looking for a digital future, discover the roles in the data center industry, the education requirements, and skills needed to help us make the digital world better for everyone.
Visit the Data Center Career ExplorerSouth Carolina 2024 STAR Program Construction participants celebrate their recent graduation.
Development programs to support our neighborsThe Skilled Trades and Readiness (STAR) Program is a short-term training program preparing new-to-industry talent for entry-level careers in construction and the skilled trades. By supporting these initiatives in the data center communities we call home, we are creating a robust workforce of skilled, local, and underinvested talent to bolster each region's growth.
Get to know the people who are training with Google to build up their communitiesGabriel Vargas
STAR Graduate in Construction, South Carolina
Jemal Shabazz
STAR Graduate in Fiber Optics, Nebraska
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Jemal ShabazzSTAR Graduate in Fiber Optics
Jemal Shabazz believes in fiber.
Jemalâs grandfatherâs electrician tools and theory of electricity books caught Jemalâs attention at an early age. Jemal started out with ambitions to be an electrician journeyman, but ultimately he wanted to build a career in fiber, something he calls âcareer certaintyâ rather than âjob security.â âI was looking at the job landscape and doing all this research on the tech industry. I figured, let's try to find something that can work with automation and AI instead of getting fully replaced by it.â
This led him to Googleâs Skilled Trades and Readiness (STAR) Program in Omaha, where Jemal enrolled in a multi-week program in fiber optics. The intense and fast-paced curriculum provided him with the skills and the confidence to enter the field despite having little prior fiber experience.
In his current job, he is being given more advanced tasks because of his strong work ethic and the training he received in the STAR program. He knows these types of programs are vital for giving community members the opportunities they need to pursue a fiber optics or construction career. And he wants to help other young black men have more of the same opportunities he has had in the fiber field, someday becoming a fiber instructor and teaching and influencing young people in underinvested communities to follow a career in the trades.
âHaving those certifications from the STAR Program allows my job to put me on more advanced tasks. And theyâre confident with my work ability and work ethic and all that, in addition to the credentials.ââThe STAR Program also gave me the confidence to enter a high-level field like this with just a little experience. I felt informed enough to start my job with confidence and not feel like a complete novice when I first got out into the field.â
Jemal Shabazz
STAR Graduate in Fiber Optics
Aurora Rodriguez
STAR Graduate in Construction, Northern Virginia
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Aurora RodriguezSTAR Graduate in Construction
Aurora Rodriguez has already built the foundation for a strong career. She credits her mom for giving her the strength and the gumption to begin pursuing her goals and dreams early. Her mom came to the United States from Honduras right after 9/11, and has worked the same job for the same salary since she began, working days and nights and taking the bus everywhere. This inspired Aurora to aim higher. She finished high school online so she could start working full time her sophomore year. âEverything I do is so she can have a better life and retirement.â
Aurora always knew she wanted to work in the trades and began in welding. However, it became financially challenging to continue that work. She moved into logistical roles, yet a career in the trades still called to Aurora.
Thatâs when she heard about Googleâs Skilled Trades and Readiness (STAR) Program in Construction at Northern Virginia Community College. She completed the program in 2024, which has led to more project management opportunities at her job and a desire to go back to school and earn a four-year degree. Auroraâs mom is surely beaming with pride. âI remember the tough times, that no matter what, my mom made sure I pushed through.â
âI came from a logistical background from Amazon to UPS Stores. I was trying to prepare going back to school...and then I came upon the STAR Program.ââThe STAR Program is making a difference in communities. It is giving opportunities to people who probably felt stuck just like I did.â
Aurora Rodriguez
STAR Graduate in Construction
Kalasia Pressley
STAR Graduate in Construction, South Carolina
In the Google Workforce Development program, we collaborate with local nonprofits and community colleges to provide training, certifications, and skill development opportunities, helping individuals to compete in todayâs workforce.
We design programs that replenish and grow the future workforce pipeline and deliver programs that increase opportunities for skilled, local, and underinvested talent. Whether we amplify the great training programs that already exist in many communities or create new ones to fit the community needs, together we can meet the demands of tomorrow.
Collaborate with usâGoogle puts their money where their mouth is in terms of community initiatives like workforce development training, bringing more skilled labor to the workforce, supporting diversity, and empowering women and people of color.â
Mallika Welsh
Google Data Centers Services Manager in Virginia
Mallika Welsh takes a break from her dedicated job as a Google Data Centers Services Manager in Virginia to play with her dog, Tooley, in a local park.
Our program leads the effort to grow local talent for tomorrow's data centers. We aim to equip individuals in underinvested communities with essential digital skills and training. By focusing on digital literacy and job readiness, we help bridge the skills gap, fostering economic mobility and creating pathways to success in the evolving job market.
Googleâs STAR Program offers short-term training aimed at preparing individuals for careers in trades, such as construction, carpentry, mechanical, electrical, and fiber optics. Designed to bridge the gap in the skilled trades workforce, STAR not only equips participants with essential skills, but also focuses on increasing diversity and opportunity within these high-demand fields.
The STAR Program prepares individuals for entry-level roles in construction and skilled trades, increases entry-level workforce in these sectors, and enhances diversity in construction and skilled trades through outreach in underinvested communities.
Currently there are two learning tracks:
The program also includes basic safety certifications, blueprint reading, industry-level math, and hands-on skills training. Soft-skills training and wrap-around services are also program elements.
The STAR Program is a short-term bootcamp-style training that is located near Googleâs data centers with ongoing construction or expansion.
Participants receive paid training with employment networking opportunities. Additionally, local trade organizations offer insights into career opportunities.
Job opportunities are available for successful program completers provided they pass the employerâs job requirements.
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