The Piedmont Regional Library System has announced that no-cost access to Google Career Certificates and the Google AI Professional Certificate for cardholders, is now made available through a partnership between Georgia Public Library Service and Google. These courses will help Georgians build essential job skills in high-growth fields, including flexible, online training to support career advancement and business growth.
The Google Career Certificates program enables users to earn professional certificates in areas such as AI, cybersecurity, data analytics, digital marketing and e-commerce, IT Support, project management, and user experience (UX) design.
“By offering these high-level Google courses through Georgia’s public libraries, we are empowering patrons to gain critical experience with AI tools and earn credentials that employers recognize and value,” said Julie Walker, Vice Chancellor for Libraries & Archives and State Librarian. “With over 10,000 laptops available for checkout statewide and a self-paced curriculum that allows individuals to complete coursework whenever they have time, we are taking Georgians beyond the digital divide and into digital leadership.”
Individuals can secure their free license by completing a registration form on the Georgia Public Library Service website, georgialibraries.org/grow-with-google, which can be accessed directly or through their local library’s page. Patrons will be able to check out licenses for up to six months at a time, allowing them to learn at their own pace.
Central to this initiative is the Google AI Professional Certificate, which will teach users fluency in foundational AI skills, best practices, and how to use AI responsibly. Learners will move beyond the basics with hands-on practice, gaining the in-demand skills and confidence to apply AI. After completing the course, patrons will earn a certificate from Google to share with their network
The program includes a consortium of over 150 national employers, including AT&T, Deloitte, and Google, that consider graduates from these courses for roles in the certificate fields.
According to a 2025 course graduate survey, over 70% of Google Career Certificate graduates in the United States report an improvement in their career trajectory, such as a new job or career, promotion, or raise, within six months of certificate completion.
Piedmont Regional’s public libraries support workforce development through additional resources, including free Learning Express Job and Career Accelerator, meeting rooms and private workspaces, entrepreneur training and workshops, laptops and hotspots for checkout, books on relevant topics, and access to crucial high-speed internet and Wi-Fi statewide.
The Piedmont Regional Library System serves libraries in Auburn, Braselton, Commerce, Homer, Jefferson, Maysville, Nicholson, Statham, Talmo, and Winder. All libraries are currently open to the public. To find your local library and current operating hours, visit prlib.org.
About Georgia Public Library Service
Georgia Public Library Service empowers libraries to improve the lives of all Georgians by encouraging reading, literacy, and education through the continuing support and improvement of our public libraries.
GPLS is a unit of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. Learn more at georgialibraries.org
Grow with Google was started in 2017 to help Americans grow their skills, careers and businesses. It provides training, tools and expertise to help small business owners, veterans and military families, jobseekers, students, educators, startups, and developers. Since Grow with Google’s inception, it has helped more than 13 million Americans develop new skills. Grow with Google has a network of more than 9,000 partner organizations like libraries, schools, small business development centers, chambers of commerce and nonprofits to help people coast to coast.