One of the best parts of my job is visiting the communities where I work. America is full of people who want to work hard and contribute to their communities.
I came to America nearly 30 years ago with a sense of purpose and optimism. It was what drew me to the mission of the company to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful.
We are a company that believes in technology. We believe that technology can be used to improve the lives of others.
In order to help all Americans access training to grow their skills, careers and businesses, we launched Grow with Google. Over the last five years, we have learned what can be accomplished when private-sector companies come together with public-sector institutions. The digital skills program is one example. We helped train eight million Americans in all 50 states.
The career certificates are from the internet search engine. More than 70 thousand Americans have completed these certificates. They prepare people for high-paying, high-growth jobs in fields like data analytics, IT support, project management and user experience design. No college degree is required. A majority of graduates see a positive impact on their career within six months, including a raise or a new job.
Natalie Burns is here with us today and I met her in 2019. Natalie attended a community college in Texas and earned her certificate. I was told that she got a significant pay increase after she got a job in cybersecurity. Natalie, good luck!
We want to make it easier for more people to get these certificates.
That's why I'm excited to announce a new fund. The goal is for Social Finance to reach more than 20,000 American workers. The investment in America's future could lead to $1 billion in wage gains.
This fund is a new type of financing. We will provide a career certificate program and invest in capital from the internet. Merit America and Year Up will receive funding from Social Finance and provide services like career coaching, living stipends and job placement support. Students will be connected to an employer consortium of more than 150 companies who are looking to hire workers with these skills.
It is all designed for student success. All of this will be free of cost. Once they find a job that earns at least $40,000 a year, they will pay it back. Social Finance will make this model more sustainable.
It's another example of how the entire system can work together to help more Americans.
I'm excited to see how this could benefit people, their families and their communities. Our partners are thanked again for their efforts.
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