Mass to Provide Free AI Training to Residents

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CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — At Google's office in Cambridge, Governor Maura Healey announced a new statewide partnership with Grow with Google to offer all Massachusetts residents access to artificial intelligence and career certificate training programs at no cost through the Grow with Google program. 
 
This includes the new Google AI Professional Certificate, a program designed to help learners master the AI skills most in-demand by today's employers, and the Google Career Certificates program. This initiative is designed to help provide every resident and small business with the AI and tech skills they need to succeed in today's digital economy at no cost. 
 
The Google AI training programs will be led by the Massachusetts AI Hub (MA AI Hub), a division of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MassTech). 
 
"This partnership creates an opportunity for us to support our workers, students and small business owners across Massachusetts, making sure they have the tools they need to compete and succeed in this rapidly evolving economy," said Governor Maura Healey. "Under the management of the MA AI Hub and with the partnership of Google, this resource will strengthen our workforce, our companies and ensure that Massachusetts remains the global leader in AI-led innovation and breakthroughs." 
 
Since launching in 2017, over one million people have completed Google's Career Certificate program globally. Over 70 percent of graduates report a positive career impact such as a promotion, new job, or raise, within six months of program completion. To date, Google has trained over 250,000 Bay Staters in digital skills in collaboration with over 150 local organizations including public libraries, chambers of commerce, and community colleges.                 
 
"Massachusetts is a global leader in technology and learning, and Google is proud to have been part of its community for over twenty years," said Lisa Gevelber, Founder, Grow with Google. "By partnering with Governor Healey and the Massachusetts AI Hub to provide training like the Google AI Professional Certificate at no cost, we're ensuring that every student, employee, and small business owner across the Commonwealth can thrive in the AI economy." 
 
In addition to Google's AI Professional Certificate, additional professional certificates are available in cybersecurity, digital marketing and e-commerce, IT support, project management, and user experience design through the   Google Career Certificates program  .Those interested in securing a certificate can find more information on the  MA AI Hub website .    
 
Most recently, the MA AI Hub partnered with Holyoke-based Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center (MGHPCC) to announce Cambridge Computer, in partnership with Dell Technologies, NVIDIA and VAST to create the Artificial Intelligence Compute Resources (AICR) environment at MGHPCC. Serving as the backbone of the MA AI Hub, AICR supports startups, businesses, researchers and educators with access to sustainable, high-performance compute resources required for AI innovation. 
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15 People Displaced in Pittsfield Home Fires

Staff Reports

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Fifteen people were displaced after 2-alarm home fires this weekend on Springside Avenue and Elaine Drive. 

On Friday evening, the Fire Department responded to a structure fire at 209 Springside Ave., which took a four-hour battle to extinguish and resulted in a partial roof collapse. The next day, on Saturday evening, crews knocked down a fire at 121 Elaine Drive in about an hour. 

The garage and part of the single-family home on Elaine Drive were gutted to the frame, along with a vehicle parked in the driveway. On Springside Avenue, the top level and porch of the multifamily were burned through.  

A GoFundMe has been started for the family of the Elaine Drive home, which includes several young children.  The fundraiser, with a $5,500 goal, explains they lost their home and all of their belongings. (iBerkshires.com does not confirm or endorse fundraisers; they are provided as information only.)

There were no civilian or firefighter injuries, and both incidents are under investigation.  One dog was rescued on Springside Avenue. 

On Oct. 10, around 6:15 p.m., PFD responded to the Springside Avenue home for a reported structure fire and saw a 2 1/2-story wood frame multifamily with a heavy blaze showing from the second-floor front porch, extending out. 

The building suffered a partial roof collapse, which prolonged extinguishment. The fire was brought under control after about four hours.

“An aggressive offensive attack was mounted by first arriving crews stretching hose lines into the building as well as primary searches that proved negative. Ladders were placed around the structure to provide access as well as escape if needed. An off-duty Fire Captain had also been on scene early in the incident to help evacuate the structure and rescue a dog,” PFD wrote in a press release. 

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