Have you heard about Google Digital Garage? Let’s dive into this free learning platform and explore its benefits.
Great things happen in garages. After all, Google, Apple, Amazon, and Hewlett-Packard are just a few of the big names in tech that got their start in these humble spaces.
So, the aptly named Google Digital Garage brings this entrepreneurial spirit to you, allowing you to build your digital skills online. Here’s our overview of the Google Digital Garage.
Are you curious about machine learning but don’t know where to start? Have you dabbled in programming but never taken a formal course? Are you a budding entrepreneur without a background in marketing? Are you interested in learning a new skill? If you answered yes to any of these questions, Google Digital Garage has something for you.
Launched in 2015, Google created the Digital Garage as a nonprofit program designed to help people improve their digital skills. The Digital Garage offers classes on various subjects to help people gain today’s most in-demand skills.
When you register for a class in the Digital Garage, you get to learn at your own pace, on your own time. Unlike traditional classes, you won’t have to worry about pulling an all-nighter. These classes don’t have deadlines.
All Google Digital Garage courses are free or offer digital certificates at an additional cost.
You can register to take classes in the Google Digital Garage with your Google account or an email address. After registering, Google will ask you for your name and email preferences.
You’ll also have to accept the terms of service. From there, you’ll be taken to the “my learning plan screen,” where you can search for classes and add them to your plan.
Google helps you get started by showing you some of their most popular courses. If none of the popular courses interest you, you can browse the catalog to find a course that matches your interests. You can use filters to search for courses based on categories, course length, certification, course difficulty, and course provider.
The Google Digital Garage offers courses under the following categories:
• Digital Marketing
• Career Development
• Data and Tech
If you’re interested in digital marketing, you can choose from courses like Fundamentals of Digital Marketing, Expand a Business to Other Countries, and Marketing in a Digital World. These courses will teach you all about SEO, Google Analytics, Google Ad, and other topics related to eCommerce.
Who isn’t looking to give their career a shot in the arm? If your career needs a boost, the Digital Garage has got you covered. Courses are available on public speaking, effective networking, landing your next job, and much more.
There’s no escaping the importance of being tech-savvy in today’s digital world. If you have gaps in your technical knowledge or are just starting out, the Digital Garage offers several courses to help you build a strong foundation of technical knowledge. Google’s data and tech courses include Understanding the Basics of Code, Elements of AI, and Technical Support Fundamentals.
While Google created most of the classes you’ll find in its Digital Garage, they also collaborated with leading institutions and industry experts to develop many courses. As a result, you’ll find courses from Yale University, the University of Helsinki and Reaktor, Emory University, and more in the Google Digital Garage.
Most of the courses offered in Google Digital Garage are self-paced and online. However, you can also attend live webinars to level up your digital skills.
Webinars cover topics such as updating your CV, building engaging presentations, writing for social media, and building your personal brand online.
The most obvious advantage of studying in the Google Digital Garage is improving your digital skills for free. When you register, you instantly get access to over a hundred in-depth courses taught by industry experts.
If you have extra time on your hands, you can learn a lot in a short time. On the other hand, with a busy schedule, you can study at your own pace during your free time. The courses are well-structured and easy to follow.
The courses use short videos to teach you new skills. At the end of the videos, there are quizzes to test your knowledge. You can repeat the modules as many times as you want. The Digital Garage courses use real-life scenarios and interviews with entrepreneurs to reinforce learning.
You may be wondering why Google is offering all these classes for free, or are there any downsides to taking courses with the Google Digital Garage. The biggest drawback is a lot of these courses are designed to keep you within the Google ecosystem.
Google is a business, and its primary goal is generating a profit. You’ll get to take many quality courses when you enroll in the Google Digital Garage, but their ultimate goal is to make you a paying customer. Many of the courses focus on teaching you how to use Google products.
Whenever you spend time on Google, the company gathers more information about you. Google uses this information to tailor ads based on your personal information and preferences. Just keep this in your mind as you embark on your learning journey with Google.
The classes are broken up into modules, and you’ll earn a badge for each module you complete.
If you complete the Open University and Interactive Advertising Bureau Europe accredited Fundamentals of Digital Marketing Course, you’ll receive Google’s Digital Marketing Certification.
From machine learning to digital marketing, the Google Digital Garage has something for just about anyone interested in making themselves more competitive in our digital world.
While we can’t say definitively whether Google Digital Garage courses will help your career, they are an excellent way to improve your digital knowledge. Whether you’re thinking about changing careers or want to learn a new skill, the Google Digital Garage is worth checking out.
Have an interest in coding, but don’t know where to start? These LinkedIn Learning courses can give you a head start.
Lynnae is a freelance writer with a passion for technology. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her playing video games, reading, or planning her next overseas adventure.
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