Google has recently announced its Google Career Certificate program. The goal is to help participants find employment in data analysis, UX design, and project management once they complete the courses. (Image Credit: Kai Wenzel, Unsplash)
Google has recently launched its Google Career Certificates program, which offers certifications in data analytics, UX design, and project management. All courses are done remotely and can be completed in as little as six months. Google says the goal is to help Americans obtain the qualifications needed to land a high-paying, high growth job without a college degree. The search giant also considers the courses as equivalent to a four-year degree in related jobs. It also plans on funding 100,000 scholarships to students who need them for the certificates program.
"College degrees are out of reach for many Americans, and you shouldn't need a college diploma to have economic security. We need new, accessible job-training solutions—from enhanced vocational programs to online education—to help America recover and rebuild," Google wrote in a blog post.
Similar to its IT Support and Automation in Python certificates, these programs are designed and taught by Google employees working in the related fields. Participants of these programs are prepared with essential skills they will need to obtain a job. There are no pre-requisites needed to take the courses.
Additionally, Google is expanding its IT Certificate Employer Consortium, which includes over 50 employers other than Google, such as Hulu, Sprint, and Walmart. Hundreds of apprenticeship opportunities are also being offered at Google for those completing the career certificate programs that can provide real on-the-job training.
Google Career Certificates in career and technical education high schools around the US will start with the IT Support Certificate this fall. The company says these certificates build on its partnership with over 100 community colleges.
In tandem with YWCA, NPower, and JFF, Google is also funding $10 million in job training Google.org grants for communities in the United States. The goal of these grants is to help workforce boards and nonprofits improve their job training programs. Since 2017, Google has provided over $200 million in grants to nonprofits that promote economic opportunity as part of its Future of Work initiative.
This new Google Career Certificate program builds on other Google programs to help people who don't have college degrees find careers in IT Support. According to Google, the Google IT Certificate program is the most popular certificate on Coursera. It has helped thousands of participants find new jobs while increasing their earnings after successful course completion.
"Take Yves Cooper, who enrolled in the program through our Grow with Google Partner, Merit America, while working as a van driver. Within five days of completing the program, he was offered a role as an IT helpdesk technician at a nonprofit in his hometown of Washington, D.C.," Google stated in its blog.
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