Charleston Digital Corridor cuts ribbon on new downtown Learning Center supported by Google at Charleston Tech Center
September 21, 2023
The 1,250-square-foot space to serve as a hub for technology, business, and entrepreneurship education
In a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by local business leaders and elected officials on Tuesday, the Charleston Digital Corridor (CDC) officially opened the doors to its new Learning Center located on its Charleston Tech Center campus on Charleston’s upper peninsula. The centrally located and easily accessible Learning Center at 997 Morrison Drive features 1,200 square feet of classroom space with state-of-the-art technology and will offer a wide range of programming ranging from basic digital literacy courses to sophisticated artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity training.
The Learning Center will serve as an asset to the community as it provides highly accessible and impactful training and skills development for residents across the Lowcountry, particularly in the tech sector. Located within a federally designated Opportunity Zone, an intentional focus will be placed on providing underserved communities with high-quality and inclusive educational programs in a supportive, applied learning environment.
Google provided $250,000 for the CDC Learning Center, as its mission aligns with Google’s work to help upskill the regional workforce and remove barriers to entry in the tech industry. Google, with a data center in Berkeley County, has awarded more than $6 million since 2006 to local schools and nonprofits in South Carolina to advance this vision.
Pictured from left to right: Meghan Cradock, Operations Manager of the Charleston Digital Corridor; Amber Tillman, Google’s Head of Data Center Economic and Community Development; Ernest Andrade, Executive Director of the Charleston Digital Corridor; Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg; Charleston County Council Chairman Herb Sass; Eddie Walters, Google’s Data Center Facilities Manager
“The Learning Center here at Charleston Tech Center is a product of our tech community’s bold vision, a symbol of our strong partnerships and a strategic investment in the future of equitable entrepreneurship in the Lowcountry,” said Ernest Andrade, Executive Director of the Charleston Digital Corridor. “Thank you to Google for providing us with the critical resources to open this hub of opportunity for all in our community. We look forward to partnering with tech industry leaders to establish forward-thinking programming in this new space.”
“This is an exciting day for Google, the Charleston Digital Corridor, and the greater community as we open the doors of the downtown Learning Center and take one step closer to closing the digital literacy gap in our region,” said Amber Tillman, Google’s Head of Data Center Economic and Community Development. “Google is proud to partner with the CDC as part of our long-time commitment to upskilling the workforce in the Lowcountry and provide pathways to brighter futures for local residents and students.”
The CDC works to identify gaps related to the talent development of Charleston’s tech economy and provides programming to address those gaps. As the city of Charleston and greater tri-county region experience an increase in economic growth, the demand for a skilled workforce continues to rise.
“The Charleston Digital Corridor’s Learning Center, backed by Google, is a beacon of opportunity for our residents. It showcases our city’s dedication to nurturing talent in our community and ensuring that Charleston remains a hub of technological advancement,” said Mayor John Tecklenburg, City of Charleston.
About Charleston Digital Corridor
The Charleston Digital Corridor (CDC) is a community-sourced initiative to attract, nurture and promote the region’s tech economy through an array of impactful programs, products and events while leveraging Charleston’s renowned livability.
The CDC is focused on creating the business, education and social environment that is attractive to tech and tech-related companies. Then, the CDC leverages its carefully nurtured relationships, program elements, legislative access, and contacts to assist companies with integrating them into community. This integration is accomplished through four pillars… COMMUNITY, TALENT, SPACES & CAPITAL.
