Train into a new industry with Google’s career certificates program

In July, Google announced learning opportunities that could boost or even jump-start a person’s career. The aim of the new Google Career Certificate program is to help everyone – from those who make up the workforce of today to the students who will drive the workforce of tomorrow.

What are the details of Google’s Career Certificate Program?

• Programs and courses are 100% online — there are no in-person requirements
• No degree or prior experience is required to take the courses
• Equips participants with the essential skills (e.g., troubleshooting, customer service, networking, operating systems, system administration, security) they need to get a full-time job
• Courses are flexible, so you can set your own pace and timeline
• Courses are designed to be completed in 3 to 6 months, unlike a college degree which takes years of study
• Programs are taught by Google employees currently working in the same positions
• Courses are $49 a month (a 6-month course would cost $300) and are available through the online learning platform Coursera
• There are need-based scholarships for individuals enrolled in any of these Google Career - Certificate programs

What about finding a job?

Earning the Google Career Certificate is an important first step, and graduates will also be supported in the next step — the job search. Google created a hiring consortium for the new certificates, along with apprenticeship opportunities at Google to provide graduates with on-the-job training. Once a graduate completes the program, they can share their information directly with top employers hiring for jobs in these fields. So far, participating employers include:

• Walmart
• Intel
• Sprint
• Bank of America
• PNC
• Best Buy
• H&R Block
• Hulu
• Infosys
• Sam’s Club

Breakdown of the Google Career Certificate courses

Below are descriptions of the courses and the median salary wage for each position.

IT Support Specialist (program available now, includes a free 7-day trial)

This certificate is a launchpad to a career in IT! IT support is all about troubleshooting and problem solving when technology fails us, and providing great customer service along the way. Specialists support everything from networking to operating systems, and system administration to security in the workplace.

-> Median salary wage: $54,760

Google stated that that 80% of learners in the IT Support certificate in the US reported a career impact within 6 months, such as finding a new job, getting a raise, or starting a new business.

Data Analyst (program coming soon)

Data analysts make use of data to help inform important business decisions. They prepare, process, and analyze data for key insights, share their findings with stakeholders, and provide data-driven recommendations for effective action. The Google certificate helps students develop confidence in navigating the data lifecycle using tools and platforms to process, analyze, visualize, and gain insights from data.

-> Median salary wage: $66,000

UX Designer (program coming soon)

User experience (UX) designers make technology easier and more enjoyable to use. They create or refine products and interfaces to make them useful, usable, and accessible to users. This certificate teaches learners the foundations of UX design and research, building low-fidelity designs and wireframes, creating high-fidelity prototypes, and testing.

-> Median salary wage: $75,000

Project Manager (program coming soon)

Project managers are responsible for planning and overseeing projects to ensure they are completed efficiently with maximum quality and value added to the business. The Google certificate focuses on the foundations of traditional project management, while also offering insight into agile project management.

-> Median salary wage: $93,000

Anyone can pre-register for the newest programs (data analyst, UX designer, and program managers) at grow.google/certificates, and they will be notified once the courses are launched.