Empowering Education – Google Career Certificates Partnership Update
Updated: Mar 6, 2025
Written by Leon El-Alamin, Executive Director
Leon El-Alamin is the founder and Executive Director of the M.A.D.E. Institute, that stands for Money, Attitude, Direction and Education. Growing up on the North Side of Flint, Leon was a good kid who took refuge at his grandmother’s house to escape the challenges he faced at home and out on the streets.
The MADE Institute provides services to individuals returning to Flint, Michigan following incarceration. Flint is the birthplace of General Motors and was the location of the water crisis in 2016 which has dramatically impacted the people who live here.
MADE provides job training, transitional housing, and access to health programs along with a myriad of other support services to returning citizens. Since 2016, our programs have provided training and services to 1,000 individuals.
In recent months, the collaboration between our organization and Google has yielded an exciting initiative: the distribution of 500 Google Career Certificate scholarships. These scholarships are available to returning citizens and to the general public.
These transformative certificates encompass a diverse array of fields, including Cybersecurity, Data Analytics, Project Management, IT Support, UX Design, and Digital Marketing & E-commerce, opening up a world of possibilities for aspiring professionals.
What distinguishes this program is its remarkable flexibility, allowing participants to complete their chosen certificate program at their own pace. With just 3 to 6 months and less than 10 hours of study per week, individuals can equip themselves with invaluable skills that can potentially reshape their career trajectory. Notably, this opportunity is not exclusive to a particular group; it is open to everyone, thereby promoting inclusivity and accessibility within the education sphere.
As the program looks towards wrapping up later this year, more than half of the scholarships have already been awarded, signifying the enthusiasm and eagerness within the community to embrace this educational opportunity. The Google Career Certificates empower individuals to enhance their knowledge and skill sets, fostering a more competent and competitive workforce in an ever-evolving job market.
For those interested in exploring the dynamic possibilities that the Google Certificates can unlock, we encourage you to delve deeper into the various options and benefits that each certificate offers. You can click here to gain further insight into the specifics of the program and how it can propel your career to new heights. Additionally, if you're ready to embark on this transformative journey, you can swiftly register for a scholarship by visiting this link.
By embracing the educational opportunities made available through the Google Career Certificates, individuals can take proactive steps toward shaping their futures, fostering personal and professional growth, and contributing to a more skilled and resilient workforce.
Read more from Leon El-Alamin
Leon El-Alamin, Executive Director
Leon El-Alamin is the founder and Executive Director of the M.A.D.E. Institute, that stands for Money, Attitude, Direction and Education. Growing up on the North Side of Flint, Leon was a good kid who took refuge at his grandmother’s house to escape the challenges he faced at home and out on the streets. After graduating from high school, the allure of earning fast money made Leon start selling cocaine. A few years later, a shootout over a drug turf war landed him in the hospital where he spent a month in a coma. The incident led to his eventual arrest and imprisonment on drug and weapons charges. At the age of 30, Leon was released from prison after serving part of his sentence then founded MADE.
