Digital domain

Even though a large percentage of the NMSU student population may not remember a time before mobile devices such as smartphones or tablets, it doesn’t mean they are all technology connoisseurs. A new initiative at NMSU is helping students gain the digital skills and knowledge they need to land their dream job or internship. 

In spring 2022, NMSU became a member of the Grow with Google Hispanic-Serving Institutions Career Readiness Program. This initiative supports students at more than 20 HSIs and prepares them for the workforce through digital skills training and career workshops. 

As a Grow with Google participant, Valeria Sianez says she was pleased with the easy-to-use platform that offers modules on a broad variety of topics. 

“I worked on the module ‘How to track monthly expenses’ because I had no budget and had no idea where my money was going,” says Sianez, a May 2022 speech and hearing sciences graduate. “I wanted to be able to track my expenses and create a budget, but I didn’t know where and how to start, let alone how to even categorize it. But after finishing the module, I came out with my monthly expenses. This truly helped me as I have had a better idea of where my money goes and what my budget looked like.” 

The program expects to train 200,000 Latino students by 2025 as a result of a $2 million investment in the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities.

“To fulfill the mission as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and land-grant university, the NMSU system supports the diverse needs of the state through learning, inquiry, diversity and inclusion, social mobility, and service to the broader community,” says Spencer R. Herrera, Spanish associate professor and Grow with Google faculty member. “By partnering with Grow with Google, we can better position our students to meet the workforce challenges with digital tools and skills that will serve our local communities and make our graduates more competitive in the global market.” 

The program isn’t just for students approaching graduation. Journalism and Spanish sophomore Cesar Hernandez found Grow with Google beneficial. 

“It’s a good way to learn about professional and collegiate skills that are necessary to succeed, such as creating and perfecting a résumé.” 

Sianez says the trainings also helped her learn more about tools such as Google Docs and Google Sheets. 

“Grow with Google is for anyone, because we are not all adept on technology,” Sianez says. “We sometimes need help or guidance on how to begin or how to make something better.” 

The Grow with Google HSI Career Readiness Program, in collaboration with HACU, provides HSI career centers with funding and a semester-long in-person and online digital skills program. The initiative combines career workshops, career counseling and programming on design thinking, project management and professional brand building. Institutions also will create additional material tailored to student needs.

“Partnering with HACU and Google, NMSU’s student success staff and faculty will deliver to our Aggies additional resources to strategically prepare for their careers,” says Tony Marin, assistant vice president of student affairs.   

To learn more about the initiative, visit grow.google.com.