Google Cloud Launchpad × Mentor Me Collective
Build your cloud and AI skills with a Collective behind you.
A free, 12-week program combining a Google Cloud learning pathway with peer study, technical presentations, and access to working professionals.
- weeks
- 12
- for accepted scholars
- Free
- virtual, from anywhere
- Global
- scholars per cohort
- Up to 1,000
Plan on 15 to 20 hours a week.
The Destination
Understand the technology. Explain your thinking.
Different technical pathway. The same supportive Collective around you.
Build technical understanding
Develop knowledge in the cloud or AI subject area of your selected pathway.Practice with purpose
Work through assigned exercises and learning activities that put the concepts to use.Make understanding visible
Explain concepts, present with peers, answer questions, and connect your learning to technical and organizational decisions.
Depth and completion requirements vary by pathway. These are learning goals. They are not a promise of certification, job readiness, or employment.
The Scholar Experience
Learn with peers. Practice your thinking. Ask the people doing the work.
Technical learning works differently in community. Your cohort is a supportive space to ask questions, share what you are figuring out, and grow together.
Learn together
You join a cohort, then a pathway, then a smaller micro-group within it. In your group you work toward shared milestones, talk through difficult concepts, and keep each other moving. Weekly study sessions led by peers give you a place to ask questions.
Explain and apply
Micro-groups take turns presenting assigned learning topics. You practice explaining technical ideas clearly, answering questions in real time, and translating concepts for different audiences. Technical mastery includes the ability to communicate your thinking.
Connect and grow
At least once, join an Ask Me Anything session with a professional working in or close to your pathway. Workshop Wednesdays go broader, across AI, cloud, engineering, and security. Scholars may also be selected as Track Leads to practice facilitation.
Explore Workshop Wednesdays
An illustrative week
Complete your assigned learning
Work through your pathway modules and learning milestones.
Bring a question to your group
Raise what you are stuck on in a study session with your micro-group.
Prepare or contribute to a presentation
Take your turn explaining a technical topic to your peers.
Join a practitioner or community session
Attend an Ask Me Anything session or a Workshop Wednesday with people working in the field.
Your actual cadence depends on your pathway and cohort.
Six Pathways
Choose the direction you want to grow.
You do not need to arrive as a cloud expert. Pick the pathway that fits where you are starting and where you want to go.
Where should I start?
This is a guide, not a required order.
New to cloud?
Start with Cloud Computing Foundations.
Want organizational fluency?
Explore AI Cloud Leader.
Want a specialist focus?
Compare Cloud Data Analytics, Cloud Cybersecurity, DeepMind AI Research Foundations, and Cloud Engineering.
Cloud + AI
AI Cloud Leader
Understand cloud and generative AI concepts, business transformation, and adoption decisions.
A good fit if you want broader cloud and AI fluency. This one pathway combines three Google Cloud courses: Cloud Digital Leader, Generative AI Leader, and GEAR.
Google courses
Estimated 15 to 20 hours a week
View path details
Core skills
- Cloud fundamentals
- Generative AI concepts
- AI adoption strategy
Career areas connected to these skills
Cloud Strategist, AI Transformation Lead. Twelve weeks alone does not qualify you for a role, but these skills support work in these areas.
AI Research
Google DeepMind AI Research Foundations
Explore foundational AI research ideas and machine-learning concepts.
A good fit if you are curious about what is behind modern AI.
Estimated 15 to 20 hours a week
View path details
Core skills
- AI research fundamentals
- Machine learning concepts
Career areas connected to these skills
AI Research Assistant, ML-Adjacent Analyst. Twelve weeks alone does not qualify you for a role, but these skills support work in these areas.
Security
Cloud Cybersecurity
Develop cloud security and identity and access management understanding.
A good fit if you are security-minded and building cloud fluency.
Estimated 15 to 20 hours a week
View path details
Core skills
- Cloud security fundamentals
- Identity and access management
Career areas connected to these skills
Cloud Security Analyst, Security Engineer. Twelve weeks alone does not qualify you for a role, but these skills support work in these areas.
Data
Cloud Data Analytics
Explore cloud data workflows, pipelines, and BigQuery fundamentals.
A good fit if you are data-curious and moving into cloud environments.
Estimated 15 to 20 hours a week
View path details
Core skills
- Cloud data pipelines
- Analytics workflows
- BigQuery fundamentals
Career areas connected to these skills
Cloud Data Analyst, Analytics Engineer. Twelve weeks alone does not qualify you for a role, but these skills support work in these areas.
Foundations
Cloud Computing Foundations
Build an initial understanding of cloud architecture, core services, and computing concepts.
A good fit if you are new to cloud and want a first foundation.
Estimated 15 to 20 hours a week
View path details
Core skills
- Cloud architecture
- Core services
- Computing fundamentals
Career areas connected to these skills
Cloud Support Associate, Junior Cloud Technician. Twelve weeks alone does not qualify you for a role, but these skills support work in these areas.
Engineering
Cloud Engineering
Develop a deeper understanding of infrastructure, deployment pipelines, and cloud engineering workflows.
A good fit if you are technical and ready to go deeper into hands-on cloud engineering.
Google course
Estimated 15 to 20 hours a week
View path details
Core skills
- Infrastructure as code
- Deployment pipelines
- Cloud engineering workflows
Career areas connected to these skills
Cloud Engineer, DevOps Associate. Twelve weeks alone does not qualify you for a role, but these skills support work in these areas.
A specific degree, job title, or prior cloud background is not required unless a pathway says otherwise.
The 12-Week Journey
From your first cloud question to your final milestone.
A rhythm, not a rigid schedule. Here is what each stage asks of you and what progress looks like.
Weeks 1 to 2
Launch
What you do
- Onboard, orient to your pathway, and meet your peers and micro-group.
- Set your learning plan and begin your learning modules.
A sign of progress
A clear plan, group connections, and early coursework progress.
The exact timing of AMA sessions and presentations may vary by cohort.
Completion and Recognition
See what finishing looks like.
Completion, credentials, and recognition are different things, so here they are one at a time.
Completion
Finishing the requirements of your pathway, confirmed in your final checks.Certificates and badges
Issued where applicable through the Google Cloud pathway you choose. What each pathway provides can differ.Recognition from the Collective
Graduation, cohort spotlights, and Track Lead and MVP Track Lead recognition, where applicable.An optional next step
Successful scholars may be eligible to continue into BUILD. Competitive awards belong to BUILD, not to this program.
Fit and Commitment
Choose a path you can commit to.
Launchpad is open to applicants around the world. A specific degree or job title is not required. What matters is your willingness to keep learning on day two.
- Students
- Aspiring cloud professionals
- Software engineers expanding into cloud
- Data professionals
- Cybersecurity professionals
- AI and ML practitioners
- Career transitioners
- Working professionals building cloud fluency
- Technical leaders strengthening AI and cloud foundations
We provide the structure
- Sponsored access to the required Google Cloud learning environment during the program
- A cohort and a pathway micro-group to learn alongside
- Peer-led study sessions and presentation practice
- A live AMA with a working professional, plus Workshop Wednesdays
- Recognition for completion, where applicable
You bring the follow-through
- Consistent progress through your pathway
- Joining required pathway sessions where applicable
- Contributing to your micro-group presentations
- Asking for help before you fall too far behind
- Communicating respectfully and professionally
- Completing milestones by the published deadlines
Plan on 15 to 20 hours a week across every pathway. That time includes coursework, micro-group study sessions, and community activities. If you start to fall behind, reach out early. The Collective is here to help you get back on track.
The Next Chapter
Turn your learning into something people can use.
BUILD: an optional next step
After successfully completing EDUCATE, you may choose to continue into BUILD, a four-week cross-functional experience. You work with scholars from complementary disciplines to develop a product, service, or technical solution connected to one of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
You are here
EDUCATE
Complete your selected Google Cloud learning pathway inside a structured cohort.
Later stage
BUILD
Apply your skills during a four-week cross-functional product sprint.
Later stage
MENTOR
Spend six weeks in structured one-on-one mentorship with an industry professional.
Later stage
POLISH
Strengthen career materials, interviewing, and negotiation readiness with AI-assisted coaching and human guidance.
Later stage
HIRE
Qualified scholars who complete the required stages and a readiness review may become eligible for the Collective's Talent Portal.
Later stages are optional and happen in order, based on successful completion and eligibility. Mentorship, career coaching, and Talent Portal access are later-stage opportunities, not automatic benefits of the 12-week program. Hiring is an opportunity subject to eligibility, not a placement guarantee.
How to Apply
Your next step starts here.
Apply
Share your goals and the pathway that interests you.
Apply for the Next Cohort (opens in a new tab)Review and decision
The Collective reviews applications and lets you know.
Onboarding
Accepted scholars confirm their pathway and meet their cohort.
Before you apply
- Browse the six pathways and note the one you are drawn to
- Confirm you can give 15 to 20 hours a week
- Come as you are. You do not need to be a cloud expert
If the next application window is not open yet, join the program waitlist and you will be notified when it opens.
FAQ
A few details before you begin.
The basics
Is Launchpad free?
Yes. Launchpad is free for accepted scholars, including sponsored access to the required Google Cloud learning environment during the program.
Who can apply?
Students, career changers, and working professionals at any level. A specific degree, job title, or prior cloud background is not required unless a pathway says otherwise.
Can I join from outside the US?
Yes. Launchpad is open to applicants around the world and runs virtually, so you can take part from anywhere.
How long is the program?
12 weeks, from onboarding in week 1 to your final checks and celebration in week 12.
How many hours a week does it take?
Plan on 15 to 20 hours a week across every pathway. That includes coursework, micro-group study sessions, and community activities.
Choosing a path
Which pathway should I choose?
Choose based on your goals: foundational cloud literacy, hands-on engineering, data, security, or AI. The pathway cards outline the focus and who each one is for, and the “Where should I start?” guide can help you narrow it down.
Can I complete more than one pathway?
Each cohort seat is tied to one pathway. You are welcome to apply to a future cohort for an additional pathway.
Do I need prior cloud experience?
No, unless a specific pathway states otherwise. Cloud Computing Foundations is designed for newcomers. More advanced pathways may benefit from some prior technical background.
Taking part
What is a micro-group?
A smaller learning group within your pathway. It gives you closer accountability, peer support, and a shared space to prepare technical presentations together.
Do I have to present technical content?
Yes. Micro-groups present assigned learning topics throughout the cohort as part of the technical communication experience.
What does a Track Lead do?
Track Leads help facilitate their learning community. They build hands-on experience in peer facilitation, technical community leadership, and coordination.
Learning from practitioners
What happens during the AMA?
You join a live question-and-answer session with an industry professional working in or close to your pathway. Topics include real-world responsibilities, tools, and hiring expectations.
What are Workshop Wednesdays?
The Collective's weekly live, practitioner-led sessions covering AI, cloud, software engineering, cybersecurity, product development, and emerging technologies.
Completion and next steps
How does graduation work?
Scholars who complete program requirements are recognized during the cohort graduation experience, including certificates or badges where applicable.
Do I have to complete BUILD afterward?
No. Completing EDUCATE does not obligate you to continue. Moving into BUILD and later stages is optional.
Can I skip BUILD and go directly to mentorship?
No. Later stages of the scholar lifecycle happen in order. Scholars who wish to continue must successfully complete each stage before the next.
How do I become eligible for the Collective's Talent Portal?
Talent Portal eligibility follows successful completion of the required lifecycle stages and a readiness review.
Find your pathway. Take your next step.
You do not need to arrive as a cloud expert. You need the willingness to keep learning, and a Collective will be there with you.