By Ramona Schindelheim for WorkingNation.
Broadcast version by Danielle Smith for Keystone State News Connection reporting for the WorkingNation-Public News Service Collaboration

It is probably safe to say that when most people think of Goodwill®, they think of the more than 3,300 donation centers and thrift stores spread across the U.S. and Canada. But, the nonprofit is so much more.

In fact, Goodwill may be the best-kept workforce development secret in America, with more than 350,000 people finding a job through Goodwill's career counseling, résumé prep services, and skills training.

"Our entire history is about a mission of helping people flourish in life, helping them thrive. The 'why' for us is helping people reach their potential, often through learning and the power of work," explains Steven C. Preston, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International.

And thanks to a partnership with some of the biggest names in tech, more than 1.5 million people have upgraded their digital and tech skills through the Goodwill Digital Career Accelerator^® (GDCA), a training program designed in partnership with Google and made possible by funding from Google.org.

To date, Google.org has supported the training program with over $29 million in cash and ad grants and 1,000 Googler volunteers who have taught classes for people employed and served by Goodwill, have helped conduct research, and co-developed resources and tools, explains Google.

Google.org Fellows - Google employees who specialize in marketing, user experience design, program management and more - also worked with the Goodwill team on a pro bono basis for six months to help research and redesign www.goodwill.org to work better for job seekers and career advancers.

Partnering to Advance Tech Careers

More than 80% of the people who come to Goodwill for work-related services have a high school diploma or less and range in age from their teens to in their 80s. Most have low-to-moderate income, and some have no income at all.

The Goodwill Digital Career Accelerator prepares job seekers and career advancers for for entry- and mid-level occupations. No degree and no experience required. Some of the learners need to learn keyboarding, English, and math before they can benefit from digital skills training and earn career certificates.

The program meets learners where they are at, offering many levels of hands-on training, from basic digital awareness and navigation through training for Google Career Certificates. Those employer-vetted certificates equip people with job-ready skills for in-demand entry-level careers in fields like data analytics, IT, and, most-recently, cybersecurity.

Interested? Here is What You Need to Know About the Goodwill Digital Career Accelerator

We asked Goodwill and Google to answer these essential questions about the Goodwill Digital Career Accelerator program, which is hosted on the Coursera platform.

What does it cost?

"Thanks to scholarships and funding from Google.org and other partners, digital skills training is available at no cost to learners at most Goodwills."

How much time does it take?

"The time a digital skills training course takes depends of what is being learned. To learn to set up and use email - an essential skill for a job search - may take only an hour or two. Learning to use Google suite may take a few hours over the course of a week. Earning a Google Career Certificate may take three to six months (though some highly motivated and disciplined learners have completed them in a few weeks)."

Is the program in-person or online?

"Many of the people who use Goodwill to build their digital skills begin their learning in-person until they are comfortable enough to learn at their own pace on their own time. The strongest models for training involve a blended approach where Goodwill organizations convene training groups in-person and integrate online learning. Providing additional supports beyond the training setting, such as regular career navigation check-in meetings, helps learners stay on track with training progress."

Once completing the program, do you get an employer-vetted certificate?

"Some learners earn Google Career Certificates through Goodwill. The Google Career Certificates are an industry-recognized credential valued by a wide array of employers. Built by experts at Google and vetted by employers in the program's Employer Consortium, the certificates teach skills employers are looking for. The employer consortium includes over 150 companies including Accenture, Walmart, Verizon, and Google that are looking to hire workers in the certificate fields."

The Power to Change Lives

"It's so important for us to realize that digital skills have become the price of entry for many jobs in our country. Digitization has so infused our workforce that the need for those skills is ubiquitous," says Goodwill CEO Preston.

"Google believes the opportunities created by technology should truly be available to everyone, regardless of their zip code, education level, or background. We're proud to continue our support for Goodwill, advancing our shared commitment to help all Americans access digital skills training in their local communities," says Hector Mujica, head of Economic Opportunity for the Americas for Google.org.

He tells us, "To date, we've helped over 357,000 people connect with new jobs and increase their economic opportunities by offering programs including the Google Career Certificates. Through our collaboration, we're excited to help more people improve their lives and livelihoods for years to come."

Preston sums the partnership up this way. "I believe strongly in the power of human potential. Helping people tap into that potential is not only transformative to them, but it's transformative to our communities. It's transformative to our culture."


Ramona Schindelheim wrote this article for WorkingNation.

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.


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A new report finds Connecticut's state government can improve pay equity and representation.

The University of Connecticut School of Public Policy report examines demographic representation in proportion to statewide census data. Hispanic and Latino people have the lowest representation among new hires and long-term employees. White men and Black people are the majority of longer-term hires.

Mohamed Alkadry, professor and director of the school, said it is more than a human resources issue.

"There are also areas where the issues are stubborn like hiring female engineers is complicated by many things like the availability of female engineers in the workforce," Alkadry pointed out. "Engineering schools are still graduating not enough women by comparison to men."

Although female engineers are entering the field in record numbers, they are not remaining in the industry. Alkadry noted lawmakers can fund pathway programs for government employment, which can provide recent graduates with options to enter public service since it is harder to enter a field with little or no experience.

Despite this, Alkadry finds representation in government among all groups has improved in recent years.

While representation is fairly well-rounded, pay equity in Connecticut's government is not. The report showed pay for people of color, Hispanics and Latinos is lower than those of white workers. Alkadry emphasized pay equity plays a big role in representation, especially for minority workers.

"If half of the workforce is that, but then the pay equity data shows that these folks are only making 60% of what white men and white women are making in that same workforce, this means that the Hispanic and Black men and women are ending up in lower-echelon positions," Alkadry outlined.

One report recommendation called for the Department of Administrative Services to conduct an analysis on the diversity of statewide candidate pools. The data can uncover whether diverse candidates are entering the application process or if other barriers slow their progress.

More than a year after City of Richmond workers filed to vote on a union contract, they are celebrating its implementation.

The contract provides workers with an established grievance process, updated health and safety guidelines, and labor management committees to help improve different departments. Workers described the moment as everything they have waited for.

Felicia Boney, management analyst associate in the Department of Social Services for the City of Richmond, said it sends a message to other cities about the efficacy of treating workers fairly.

"The economy has changed," Boney pointed out. "People are looking for better employment, better benefits. It will improve retention of the employees and if employers are treating their employees like they should, it would benefit them."

Cities like Alexandria, Portsmouth, and Newport News are all in different stages of the unionization process. A 2021 poll showed 68% of Virginians favored letting public employees unionize.

Boney noted there was plenty of give and take from the city and workers, making it quite a process to reach this point but with things in place, she emphasized the city is eager to start working with the Joint Labor Management Committee.

Another reason for the contract's implementation is making the city more competitive in hiring. The hope is to attract people to jobs in understaffed departments. She stressed workers are eager to see what lies ahead in a new chapter of Richmond's history.

"We love our jobs, we really do," Boney added. "We just want to be able to be better at doing what we're doing, and I think this gives us an opportunity to do just that. We want to make Richmond great again and I think this is one of the tracks we can take to do that."

Before the contract and unionization, one in 12 of the city's full-time employees could not support themselves on their salary. The city also saw high turnover rates across agencies. In all, it cost the city more than $6.5 million per year.


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Supporters of a new state-sponsored retirement savings program in Maine are celebrating a significant milestone.

More than six months after the launch of the Maine Retirement Investment Trust, or MERIT, enrolled employees have saved more than $1 million.

Alf Anderson, associate director for advocacy and outreach at AARP Maine, said the program was created to help the roughly 200,000 private sector workers without access to a retirement plan at their job.

"You know, one of the most important things for people as they plan for retirement," said Anderson, "is having that financial security to be able to do the things they want to do when they do get to that point in their lives. And so, that milestone was really exciting for us to see."

Anderson said businesses with at least five employees can register with MERIT to help set up savings for workers, who would otherwise seek out an independent financial planner.

More than 1,500 employers have already signed on.

Surveys show more than half of Americans are concerned they won't be able to achieve financial security in retirement.

At least 25 states introduced legislation last year to establish new, state-backed retirement plans.

Anderson said the successful rollout in Maine reveals the urgency people feel about planning for the future due to the high costs of food and housing.

"Do I cut back on my medications?" said Anderson. "Do I not eat a certain number of meals today? Like, it's really frightening to see some of the decisions people have to make."

Anderson said the pandemic didn't help - with even more Mainers facing depleted savings accounts and having only Social Security to fall back on when they reach retirement age.

State officials say MERIT could help Mainers for generations to come, and help reduce reliance on public assistance programs.