At a time when we need to address STEM labor shortages, we cannot afford to leave segments of our population behind. The National Science Foundation (NSF) supports a strategy to address these issues through the newly funded Community College Presidents’ Initiative in STEM Education. Community colleges, serving the most diverse student body in higher education, are fertile ground for effective diversification of the STEM workforce. 51% of community college students taking college credit classes are students of color.

As the economy begins its slow recovery, employers are facing a hiring paradox. Even as 9.3 million Americans remain unemployed, the same number of jobs remain open. Companies are once again struggling to find employees with the right sets of skills.

The World Economic Forum estimates that 50 percent of all employees will need reskilling by 2025. And with nearly 10 million Americans currently unemployed, COVID-19 has accelerated the need for programs that help people upskill or reskill into new careers. At Google, we believe that economic opportunity should be available to everyone, and through our Grow with Google initiative, we've invested in building programs, products, and training to help create pathways to high-quality jobs.

Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President and Chief Executive Officer Raphael Bostic discusses engaging the public sector and the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta’s mandate to increase and improve economic mobility and resistance.