Interested in a tech career but don’t want to go to college? Want to learn online at your own pace and possibly get a job after completing the course?
Google may have the answer for you. The company has expanded its Google Career Certificate Program to include courses in project management, data analytics, and user experience (UX) design.
The courses are offered through Coursera, which charges $39 per month (after a 7-day free trial). It takes about six months to complete one of the courses, making the price under $240. But for those who can’t afford it, Google is offering 100,000 need-based scholarships in the U.S. through nonprofits and workforce development boards.
New Google Career Certificate courses
The three new Google Career Certificate courses and what you will learn:
Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate – In preparation for an entry-level job as a data analyst, you’ll learn how to “collect, transform and organize data in order to help draw new insights and make informed business decisions.”
Google Project Management Professional Certificate – in preparation for an entry-level job as a project manager, you’ll learn how “project managers successfully start, plan and execute a project using both traditional and agile project management approaches.
Google UX Design Professional Certificate – in preparation for an entry-level job as a UX designer, you’ll learn “the foundations of UX design, and how to conduct user research and design prototypes in tools like Figma and Adobe XD.”
In addition to these three new certificate programs, Google also offers courses on Coursera leading to a Google IT Support Professional Certificate, Google IT Automation Professional Certificate and Associate Android Developer Certificate.
Google has found that its programs offer opportunities to those who can’t afford or don’t want a college education but still would like a well-paying job.
Although they offer news skills and a possible new job, earning a Google professional certificate is not easy, and students must work hard to complete the required assessments.
Hiring consortium offers jobs to certificate holders
But it’s well worth it, since students develop the knowledge and skills that could lead to a job. The certificate programs were developed with input from a variety of companies. And Google created the Google Analytics Hiring Consortium to offer other companies a chance to hire those who have completed one of the certificate programs. This group of more than 130 companies includes Bayer, Best Buy, Intel, Target, T-Mobile and Walmart.
Google says that, according to Burning Glass Labor Insight, from Feb. 1, 2020 through Jan. 31, 2021, there were 1.3 million job openings across the certificate fields. And the average salary for entry level positions in these fields is $63,600 per year.
The company also says it is willing to hire those who complete the program. And Google plans to include graduates in its apprenticeship program.
In addition, not only can the certificates help those who complete them get a job, but they can also help people get a raise in a current position or start a new business, benefitting potential students in a variety of ways.
