Massachusetts residents now have a new free option to build AI skills and enhance their employment opportunities in many growing fields
Governor Maura Healey announced a new statewide partnership with Grow with Google to offer all Massachusetts residents access to artificial intelligence and career certificate training programs at no cost. This includes the new Google AI Professional Certificate, a program designed to help learners master the AI skills most in-demand by today’s employers, and the Google Career Certificates program. This initiative is designed to help provide every resident and small business with the AI and tech skills they need to succeed in today’s digital economy at no cost.
The Google AI training programs will be led by the Massachusetts AI Hub (MA AI Hub), a division of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MassTech).
“This partnership creates an opportunity for us to support our workers, students and small business owners across Massachusetts, making sure they have the tools they need to compete and succeed in this rapidly evolving economy,” said Governor Maura Healey. “Under the management of the MA AI Hub and with the partnership of Google, this resource will strengthen our workforce, our companies and ensure that Massachusetts remains the global leader in AI-led innovation and breakthroughs.”
Since launching in 2017, over one million people have completed Google’s Career Certificate program globally. Over 70 percent of graduates report a positive career impact such as a promotion, new job, or raise, within six months of program completion. To date, Google has trained over 250,000 Bay Staters in digital skills in collaboration with over 150 local organizations including public libraries, chambers of commerce, and community colleges.
“This initiative gives Massachusetts residents the tools they need to harness AI, unlock new ideas and gain skills to strengthen the workforce regardless of age or income,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “The MA AI Hub ensures we are preparing a talent pipeline to meet the skills required for the current digital economy.”
“Massachusetts is a global leader in technology and learning, and Google is proud to have been part of its community for over twenty years,” said Lisa Gevelber, Founder, Grow with Google. “By partnering with Governor Healey and the Massachusetts AI Hub to provide training like the Google AI Professional Certificate at no cost, we’re ensuring that every student, employee, and small business owner across the Commonwealth can thrive in the AI economy.”
“This initiative reflects Massachusetts’ strong commitment to investing in people and expanding access to the skills that power innovation,” said Economic Development Secretary Eric Paley. “By offering free AI training statewide, we’re helping residents across the Commonwealth participate in the next generation of breakthroughs, entrepreneurship, and economic growth.”
“When Governor Healey’s Strategic AI Task Force recommended convening the MA AI Hub to solidify our state’s leadership in this area, AI training and workforce engagement quickly emerged as a major priority,” said Technology Services and Security Secretary Jason Snyder. “This platform advances the mission to democratize the AI skills and knowledge that are critical to our state’s continued success in applied AI.”
In addition to Google’s AI Professional Certificate, additional professional certificates are available in cybersecurity, digital marketing and e-commerce, IT support, project management, and user experience design through the Google Career Certificates program. Those interested in securing a certificate can find more information on the MA AI Hub website.
“Offering this opportunity to so many means more Massachusetts residents will adopt AI skills and blend them into their current digital toolkit,” said MA AI Hub Director Sabrina Mansur. “By equipping the workforce as a whole, we are preparing the Commonwealth to meet AI-driven demands within years, not generations.”
Most recently, the MA AI Hub partnered with Holyoke-based Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center (MGHPCC) to announce Cambridge Computer, in partnership with Dell Technologies, NVIDIA and VAST to create the Artificial Intelligence Compute Resources (AICR) environment at MGHPCC. Serving as the backbone of the MA AI Hub, AICR supports startups, businesses, researchers and educators with access to sustainable, high-performance compute resources required for AI innovation.
About Massachusetts Artificial Intelligence Hub (MA AI Hub)
The Massachusetts AI Hub is the state’s central nexus for AI innovation and governance across industry, academia, and the private sector. The AI Hub, supported by the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, harnesses state resources and the top-tier talent to drive transformative change in the sector. With a focus on responsible AI development at its core, the AI Hub is committed to supporting Massachusetts as a global leader in fostering a collaborative, inclusive, and ethical AI ecosystem. For more information, visit aihub.masstech.org.
