The initiative will pilot an AI-powered platform designed to help students match their skills and interests to job opportunities in the islands. It will use products like Google Cloud and tools like Vertex AI and Gemini to analyze labor market data and generate individualized student profiles.
According to a news release Wednesday, the platform draws on a student’s education, certifications, work experience and stated preferences, then surfaces potential career paths and related academic programs within Hawaii. UH and Google said they hope the platform will help graduates begin careers in the state, rather than relocating to the mainland.
Hawaii’s unemployment rate has remained low in 2025, hovering under 3 percent, even as job growth fluctuates, according to state economic reports. While median household income in Hawaii is also higher than in many states, cost-of-living indexes rank Hawaii among the most expensive places to live. According to the news release, new graduates can struggle to find entry-level jobs with salaries that meet these high living costs, contributing to long-standing concerns over “brain drain.”
UH and Google also aim to reduce barriers to employment for underrepresented groups, according to the release. The university has started to use Google Translate for Pacific Island languages, including Hawaiian, Māori and Samoan, so students can access career guidance in their native language. By integrating cultural and language accessibility, UH and Google said they hope to strengthen the connection between local employers and a skilled, homegrown talent pool.
The career pathways project builds on UH’s participation since February in the Grow with Google initiative, which has provided students and staff access to AI skills training, career certificates and Gemini. The career certificate program includes credentials in fields like data analytics, IT support, user experience design, AI and cybersecurity — each designed to be completed online in under six months.
“This is a valuable opportunity for our community to develop in-demand AI skills and stay ahead in today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape,” Wendy Hensel, president of the UH system, said at the time.
The new career pathways platform serves as the next step, ensuring graduates who have earned these skills and credentials can more easily connect with local job opportunities.
