Google Brings Economic Opportunity Initiative to Alaska

Google announced that it is coming to Anchorage as part of the tech company’s “Grow with Google” initiative, which aims to help create economic opportunity in communities across the United States by providing free training, tools, and expertise for people to grow their skills, careers, and businesses.

The “Grow with Google” Alaska event is scheduled for Thursday, March 5, 2020 from 10:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at the J. Loussac Library.

“Alaska is a resource-rich state that operates in a global marketplace. From tourism to seafood to minerals, small to medium-sized businesses make up a majority of these industries,” says Erica Swanson, Google’s Head of Community Engagement. “Digital technology plays a critical role in developing a workforce and connecting Alaska business with audiences around the globe. By bringing ‘Grow with Google’ workshops to the state, we are making a commitment to help Alaskans grow their businesses, careers, and digital know how.”

Throughout the day Google staff will teach a variety of hands-on workshops designed to give local businesses and residents the tools and resources they need to find jobs, advance their careers, and grow their businesses. Attendees are welcome to pre-register for specific workshops, or drop in and sign up for one-on-one, twenty-minute training sessions with Google staff for everything from how to set up an email account to ways they can advertise their business or even create a resume.

Local nonprofits—libraries, government agencies, educational institutions, and more—will also be invited to join the ‘Grow with Google’ partner program, a free network for local organizations which provides a range of training content, tools, promotional materials, and best practices to continue sharing ‘Grow with Google’ resources with their community.

Public libraries have been natural and valuable partners in bringing ‘Grow with Google’ resources to communities across the United States. According to the American Library Association, nearly three-quarters of libraries already have job development programming in place and 90 percent are helping patrons learn basic digital skills. Last year, ‘Grow with Google’ committed $1 million to the American Library Association to fund the Libraries Lead with Digital Skills initiative. The ‘Grow with Google’ workshops will kick off a grant opportunity for Alaska libraries to apply to enhance their community digital skills programing. Applications for Alaska open March 5.

“At Anchorage Public Library, our vision for Anchorage is an educated and connected community where our library is an essential center for learning, inspiration, and community pride for people of all ages, backgrounds, and cultures,” says Mary Jo Torgeson, Anchorage Public Library Director. “Our mission is connecting people to education, information, and community and by partnering with Google for ‘Grow With Google’ events, we are able to connect our community with digital skills as well as to each other as we bring together jobseekers, small business owners, and entrepreneurs and provide a unique opportunity for them to learn and grow together.”

In their 2018 Economic Impact Report, Google announced that 2,200 Alaska businesses generated $85.3 million of economic activity by using Google’s search and advertising tools. The full report details Google’s economic impact state-by-state, and features the stories of businesses fueling that growth, creating job opportunities, and transforming their communities.

To learn more about the free event and to register, visit g.co/GrowAlaska.