Missouri and Google partner on AI and career training
Missouri partners with Google to provide free AI tools, training, and credentials to educators, students, and residents, aiming to enhance workforce readiness and reduce teachers' administrative workload.
Missouri’s Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development will collaborate with Google to deliver no-cost access to enterprise-grade AI tools, training curricula, and industry credentials for nearly 100,000 educators and over 1.1 million students across K-12 and higher education institutions. The initiative targets reducing administrative burdens on teachers, with research indicating AI tools can save educators an average of 10 hours per week, allowing more time for direct instruction and student support.
The partnership ensures rigorous data security and privacy standards, including protections within Google’s education tools such as Gemini for Education, where conversations and data remain private and are not used to train Google’s AI models. Educational institutions retain administrative control over data, fostering a secure digital environment for all users. Participation in the program is voluntary, with each school district, college, and university deciding independently whether and how to adopt the resources.
Beyond traditional education settings, Missouri is expanding access to Google Career Certificates and Google AI courses at no cost to all state residents through local Missouri Job Centers. This effort aims to prepare residents for high-demand technology careers and align workforce development with classroom innovation.
Individuals and institutions can learn more about accessing these programs through the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development websites, which provide details on available resources and enrollment processes.