Building Momentum: Early Insights from scaleLIT’s Grow with Google AI Scholarship Cohort
Eleven organizations are already translating AI learning into practice through scaleLIT’s first Grow with Google cohort.
When scaleLIT launched its first Grow with Google AI Scholarship Cohort on April 7, the goal was not simply to provide access to training, but to help adult education and workforce organizations begin building practical AI knowledge together.
Just weeks into the cohort, early momentum is already emerging.
Through this pilot, 11 organizations across Illinois are exploring how AI can support workforce development, service delivery, digital skill building, and career advancement for adult learners — while helping the field respond thoughtfully to technological change.
Early Cohort Momentum
Since launch:
“In just the first weeks of the cohort, participants have already earned 76 certificates and completed 130 courses — a strong early signal of demand for applied AI learning across the field.”
55 learners invited across participating organizations
42 learners joined the cohort (86% engagement)
36 learners actively enrolled in training pathways
76 certificates earned to date
130 courses completed
For a pilot cohort still in progress through July 17, these early indicators point to strong engagement and meaningful uptake.
What We’re Seeing So Far
While participants are still early in the learning journey, several themes are already emerging:
AI Readiness Is Workforce Readiness
Participants are engaging with AI not as a future trend, but as a practical tool with implications for instruction, career navigation, and workforce services today.
Demand for Applied Learning Is Strong
Early engagement suggests organizations are eager for opportunities that move beyond theory and support practical experimentation with emerging tools.
Cohort Learning Matters
The cohort model itself is proving valuable — creating shared momentum and helping organizations navigate this work as a field, not in isolation.
More Than Training Access
This initiative was never intended to be simply about accessing online courses.
As a Grow with Google Partner, scaleLIT is using this pilot to help translate the AI shift into practical strategies that support inclusive workforce and adult education systems.
This work sits at the intersection of:
Digital equity
Workforce readiness
Systems adaptation
Adult learner opportunity
And that is what makes this effort larger than a scholarship program.
Spotlighting the Organizations Leading This Work
We are grateful to the 11 organizations participating in this first cohort for helping shape and strengthen this pilot:
Their willingness to engage early, test new tools, and share learning is helping advance what responsible AI adoption can look like across the field.
Looking Ahead
With the cohort continuing through July 17, participants will keep building skills, completing credentials, and exploring practical applications of AI in their work.
We look forward to sharing additional stories and outcomes as the cohort moves toward completion this summer.
Thank You!
Thank you to our first cohort of participating organizations for bringing curiosity, leadership, and commitment to this pilot.
As this cohort continues through July, we’re excited to learn alongside participants, share emerging practices, and continue building a stronger, more AI-ready adult education and workforce ecosystem.
