Dive Brief:

• Google has announced that it will commit $50 million to nonprofits that train for workers for technology jobs. 
• A PayScale report shows that ony 8% of current high school students are being taught the skills that companies will need in the workforce in the future. "And the students who do prepare for employment face a paradox: a rapidly changing economy that demands they continuously refresh their skill set simply to keep up, without much guidance on what skills will be required to actually do that," Google says.
• Google says it will assist nonprofits that train individuals, connect job-seekers with positions that match their skills and talents, and support workers in low-wage employment.

Dive Insight:

Google's investment could make a dent in industries that are struggling for talent. And they are far from the only company looking to address the problem; even the Girl Scouts are involved.

But can those efforts relieve some of the burden on companies in high-growth industries? Generally, the increased need for IT talent in almost every industry has put pressure on companies to develop training programs to prepare newcomers for the challenges of this industry, now and in the future.

Learning departments are strapped and working with less funding. To succeed, learning leaders will have to bring data to management showing the increased strategic importance of employee development — and maybe do the training themselves.