As artificial intelligence reshapes industries around the world, Google is making a major bet on a very different kind of workforce: skilled tradespeople.
The tech giant has announced a new $50 million commitment through Google.org to help train more than 300,000 American workers for careers in skilled trades such as electrical work, welding, pipefitting, manufacturing and fiber installation.
The announcement was made by Google's CEO, Sundar Pichai, who highlighted the importance of workers who build and maintain the physical infrastructure that powers the digital economy.
"America’s digital economy relies on our physical infrastructure and the electricians, pipefitters, welders, manufacturing workers and more who build and maintain it," Pichai wrote on X. He added that the initiative expands on the more than $1 billion Google has already invested globally in digital skills and workforce training programs.
