Google and Virginia Gov Youngkin launch statewide AI training hub

Virginia is rolling out a new AI career training platform in partnership with Google, giving residents free or low-cost access to courses, certifications and job tools as artificial intelligence reshapes the job market and pushes up demand for skilled workers.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced the launch of the “Virginia Has Jobs” AI Career Launch Pad during an event at Google’s Reston office. He called it a new way for Virginians to get ahead as industries shift, saying the goal is to make sure people can train for high-demand jobs without getting left behind.

“AI is increasingly part of every aspect of work, and we’re excited to launch this opportunity for Virginians to take part in this future,” Youngkin said in a press release. “Virginia has jobs, and I want to thank the teams at Virginia Works and Google for making sure every Virginian is ready to take advantage of the changes and exciting new possibilities AI is bringing to the workforce.”

The new site, VirginiaHasJobs.com/AI, pulls together short-term learning options, certificate programs and job postings from across the commonwealth. Users can explore beginner-friendly AI courses, earn Google Career Certificates or enroll in bootcamps and community college programs, depending on their goals.

Virginia Works, the commonwealth's workforce development agency, is running the platform and will distribute scholarships. Google is offering 10,000 reusable no-cost scholarships to Virginians, covering programs designed to lead directly to jobs in cybersecurity, data analytics, project management and more.

According to the press release, 86% of people who completed the AI Essentials course reported better productivity or job performance. Seventy percent of Google Career Certificate graduates said they received a raise, promotion or new job within six months.

Virginia is also the only state with AI education guidelines spanning from K–12 to higher education, according to Secretary of Education Aimee Guidera. She said the state is preparing students to be ethical users, innovative designers and critical thinkers.

“Thousands of Virginians are already working in AI-related roles, reflecting a strong and growing talent base across the Commonwealth,” said Secretary of Labor Bryan Slater. “Virginia has also experienced a surge in AI-related job postings, with approximately 31,000 listings -- signaling rapid expansion and high employer demand."

A search on Indeed this week showed more than 3,000 AI-related jobs listed across Virginia, with salaries ranging from hourly technical support to high-paying machine learning roles.