in Education, Technology | September 5th, 2020 65 Comments
Update: You can find the first of the Google Career Certificates here. They’re also added to our collection 200 Online Certificate & Microcredential Programs from Leading Universities & Companies.
I used to make a point of asking every college-applying teenager I encountered why they wanted to go to college in the first place. Few had a ready answer; most, after a deer-in-the-headlights moment, said they wanted to be able to get a job — and in a tone implying it was too obvious to require articulation. But if one’s goal is simply employment, doesn’t it seem a bit excessive to move across the state, country, or world, spend four years taking tests and writing papers on a grab-bag of subjects, and spend (or borrow) a large and ever-inflating amount of money to do so? This, in any case, is one idea behind Google’s Career Certificates, all of which can be completed from home in about six months. Find the first ones here.
Any such remote educational process looks more viable than ever at the moment due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, a condition that also has today’s college-applying teenagers wondering whether they’ll ever see a campus at all. Nor is the broader economic harm lost on Google, whose Senior Vice President for Global Affairs Kent Walker frames their Career Certificates as part of a “digital jobs program to help America’s economic recovery.” He writes that “people need good jobs, and the broader economy needs their energy and skills to support our future growth.” At the same time, “college degrees are out of reach for many Americans, and you shouldn’t need a college diploma to have economic security.”
Hence Google’s new Career Certificates in “the high-paying, high-growth career fields of Data Analytics, Project Management, and User Experience (UX) Design,” which join their existing IT Support and IT Automation in Python Certificates.
Hosted on the online education platform Coursera, these programs (which run about $300-$400) are developed in-house and taught by Google employees and require no previous experience. To help cover their cost Google will also fund 100,000 “need-based scholarships” and offer students “hundreds of apprenticeship opportunities” at the company “to provide real on-the-job training.” None of this guarantees any given student a job at Google, of course, but as Walker emphasizes, “we will consider our new career certificates as the equivalent of a four-year degree.”
Biggest tech & higher ed story of the last 2 weeks — #Google entering higher ed, offering BA-equivalent degrees@YahooFinance pic.twitter.com/bsGgwHsnRn
Technology-and-education pundit Scott Galloway calls that bachelor’s-degree equivalence the biggest story in his field of recent weeks. It’s perhaps the beginning of a trend where tech companies disrupt higher education, creating affordable and scalable educational programs that will train the workforce for 21st century jobs. This could conceivably mean that universities lose their monopoly on the training and vetting of students, or at least find that they’ll increasingly share that responsibility with big tech.
This past spring Galloway gave an interview to New York magazine predicting that “ultimately, universities are going to partner with companies to help them expand.” He adds: “I think that partnership will look something like MIT and Google partnering. Microsoft and Berkeley. Big-tech companies are about to enter education and health care in a big way, not because they want to but because they have to.” Whether such university partnerships will emerge as falling enrollments put the strain on certain segments of the university system remains to be seen, but so far Google seems confident about going it alone. And where Google goes, as we’ve all seen before, other institutions often follow.
Note: You can listen to Galloway elaborate on how Google may lead to the unbundling of higher ed here. Listen to the episode “State of Play: The Sharing Economy” from his Prof G podcast:
Related Content:
200 Online Certificate & Microcredential Programs from Leading Universities & Companies.
Online Degrees & Mini Degrees: Explore Masters, Mini Masters, Bachelors & Mini Bachelors from Top Universities.
Google & Coursera Launch Career Certificates That Prepare Students for Jobs in 6 Months: Data Analytics, Project Management and UX Design
Google Launches a Free Course on Artificial Intelligence: Sign Up for Its New “Machine Learning Crash Course”
Google Launches Free Course on Deep Learning: The Science of Teaching Computers How to Teach Themselves
Malcolm Gladwell Asks Hard Questions about Money & Meritocracy in American Higher Education: Stream 3 Episodes of His New Podcast
Nietzsche Lays Out His Philosophy of Education and a Still-Timely Critique of the Modern University (1872)
Based in Seoul, Colin Marshall writes and broadcasts on cities, language, and culture. His projects include the book The Stateless City: a Walk through 21st-Century Los Angeles and the video series The City in Cinema. Follow him on Twitter at @colinmarshall, on Facebook, or on Instagram.
by Colin Marshall | Permalink | Comments (65) |
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Can I get notifications on courses if I’m a Canadian resident?
Please let me know.
Thanks
This is a 6 month specialized course from Google to satisfy Google’s Bachelor’s degree requirement for employment. It in no way is equivalent to an actual Bachelors degree. It is however indicative of what Google thinks is important in their employees as far as being an educated and informed citizen.
Interested in learning new things and start the career in life
Just wondering where is the exact link I can enroll and start the course.I have been continuously looking and reading the same blog/news on this certificate course but dont see any write up on what website I should look and how to enroll and can eventually start the course.
Interested to join in GOOGLE BACHELOR DEGREE, pl share details of about it
Thks
This sounds good, but can we please get the link to enroll and register for the courses?
From When registration is started?
As a vocational degree fine. For the purpose of a
well rounded and educated citizenry a complete joke. Not
even close to a 4-year degree from a high quality college.
Please keep me updated from when the registration is getting started, as I’m looking for job based certificates from a legit and trustworthy organization,. THANKS
I am interested to join but where to register please share any link.
i M intresred in it how could i enroll in it
Please I’m interested in this online 6 months course, kindly keep me updated on the link and the registration.
Thank you.
Hi, click the blue colouref words in the article to be redirected to the link. Then register yourself to be notified when the courses go online. The article mentioned that the course whole be offered through Coursera, b which of an online University or learning platform.
Hey…
I’m kindly interested in this online course, so long as I can find a good course that can give me opportunities to find job world wide.
From Kenya
Please I’m interested in learning as a vocational training
I want to apply for a degree in psychology,is it possible? what is the tuitions? and how can i enroll?
Interested
I’m interested to undertake the course. I hope these courses will be relevant world over.
I totally agree with Google. Education is all about skills. Good job is about what you are up to. Today, many attend the higher education with no skills. University education really has nothing much to offer. Most University graduates have no skills.
Pls keep me updated. I am interested.
Hi,
I am interested to join immediately..
Interested to join immediately to learn new skills
Iam interested in joining this course. Please let me know the details
Regards
Fareen
I am interested. Please advise.
Good day. Sir, I want to register for the course, what must I do? Thanks
I am South African citizen and interested in these online programs how can I get an opportunity?
Interested
Could you please send the link to register for these courses
Thanks
When does registration starts?
Iam most definitely interested on this opportunity, please let me know what I need to register.
Interested. I Will like to get updates.
I am very interested, how can I get enrolled
I wish to pursue this course how do I register.????
Am from a very remote place in Ghana in Africa and I don’t have laptop…. Can I also enter into this course?
Interesting. I want to be registered for course.
Assalamo Allaikum I am interested to learn and achieved with Google plz Gave mea chance.
can i joun this course as i stays in India(mumbai)
Very interested and excited to join this course
I am interested to learn and achieved with Google please Give me a chance.
When is it going to be formally launched and how one can get enrolled. Second, what are the details including the duration of each course?
Keep me updated regarding registration
Keep me updated regarding registration
And send me the details of course
Rgds
I am interested please keep updated.
Google is doing great job for students. I’m interested in doing course. please do update about the registration and other
Try Coursera
Looking forward to registration
Keep me post on registration process thanks
Don.
I my Google international certificate with Digital skills for Africa. Please alert me about the coming course
Can you please send me more information about the course and how to apply.
Good courses but need explanation
Can you please send me more about the google courses. Iam interested .Thanks.
Hello, sir I am live in Pakistan and want to achieve more In life so I also be a part of this course.
Am a Nigerian
I am jobless and wanted to do this course so kindly send me the link in my email id for enrollment and starting the course.
Which place this course online or offline ,kya india me bhi kar sakte?And when started
Hello, I would like more information on how to sign-up for the six month certificate. Please send the link or details on how to come onboard. I appreciate your assistance. (I do have a Google account)
Good Evening Google Teams, I would like more information on how to sign-up for the six month google certificate programme. Please send the link or details on how to join the programme. I teach Economics and Quantitative Methods at Moi University.
I appreciate your assistance. Best Regards from Mr. Simeon Kiptarus Nganai.
May I get the link to register please?
Thanks
Hi, I am Nazmul Hasan from Bangladesh.May I get the link for register. Please give me the chance.
Interested, will like to be reminded as we count down to the commencement date.
Thanks.
Please tell, whats the story of them big puppys …..
When are this certificate 6 months program starting and how can one register
When can we enroll? I’ve been interested for about a month and I’m waiting to hear when people can start to enroll any idea of when that will happen?
I am interested to learn new gogol certificate course let me know when it is available.
keep me update about 4 your tuition free degree.
Looking for a great opportunity for my future. Thank very much.
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