Residents of St David’s have taken advantage of a scheme offered by a technology giant that offers people access to free courses.

More than 50 parents and staff signed up to “Grow with Google”, which was unveiled at St David’s Primary School recently.

The programme is part of the technology company’s support for the school and its wider community engagement connected to the Nuvem transatlantic cable project and planned cable landing station in St David’s.

It has now launched island-wide through a partnership between Bermuda College and Google, with hundreds of scholarships available to residents.

Gladstone Thompson, the principal at St David’s Primary School, said parents and staff saw the value of the opportunity.

He explained: “St David’s is unique in that we have this opportunity. It is something that we cherish, and we are so grateful to Google for choosing us.”

Dr Thompson said several members of the school community had already started courses, including him.

He said: “My experience is that I have completed two certificates with AI, and it has been very exciting.

“I am going to do my best to engage in as many things as possible with Grow with Google.”

Dommonique Desilva, a parent liaison for the scheme, is studying project management and e-commerce.

She said the training was practical, flexible and useful for people at different stages of life.

Ms Desilva added: “I would definitely recommend the programme.

“It provides practical skills, creates opportunities for personal and professional growth, and is flexible enough for people at different stages of life.

“More importantly, it empowers individuals to invest in themselves and their future.”

The programme began as a soft-launch pilot for Bermuda College faculty and staff.

A total of 500 scholarships have been awarded to Bermuda residents and, by signing up, they will get access to a vast number of courses until December 31, 2027.

After completing a course, which are 100 per cent online, participants will receive an official Google certificate of completion that can be added as a badge to professional profiles on LinkedIn.

• For more information, visit the Grow with Google Scholarship Request Form or send an e-mail to apace@college.bm