Florida State University is partnering with Google to offer students complimentary access to the Google People Management Essentials certificate program, which helps students gain leadership and professional skills, while also learning how to use artificial intelligence (AI) at work.
FSU’s College of Business is leading the university initiative in partnership with Information Technology Services to provide this self-paced management training, giving business students a unique opportunity to gain essential leadership skills and hands-on experience with cutting-edge AI tools at no cost.
FSU is one of the first institutions in the country to offer the Google People Management Essentials course.
“We are excited about our partnership with Google, one of the world’s most prominent tech companies, and the benefits it will offer our students,” said Michael D. Hartline, dean of the College of Business. “This collaboration reflects our ongoing commitment to prepare students for the transformative effects of AI on workplaces and society, ensuring they graduate with the relevant, in-demand skills necessary for a rapidly changing world.”
People Management Essentials is an eight-hour, self-paced course developed by the Google School for Leaders, Google’s center for leadership development. Taught by Google experts, the program equips new and aspiring managers with practical skills to build high-performing teams, set and achieve goals, support individual growth and invest in their own development.
A key feature is hands-on experience with AI tools such as Gemini and NotebookLM, empowering participants to incorporate artificial intelligence into their daily management activities — ranging from setting specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound (SMART) goals to developing project plans and customizing communications for a variety of audiences.
“At Google, we’ve seen firsthand how investing in managers creates a more effective, collaborative and supportive environment for all and drives business outcomes,” said Brian Glaser, chief learning officer at Google. “We believe the principles behind effective management are universal. By sharing what we’ve learned, we hope to empower leaders and their teams to thrive in any organization.”
Glaser added, “We believe that great managers create great teams. By making our foundational management principles accessible to everyone, we hope to empower the next generation of leaders to build a better future for teams, one manager at a time.”
For more information, visit business.fsu.edu.