Provide a six-month course for in-demand job training for potential employees within the time required at the university, Technology giant Google has announced that it will begin accepting Google Learning Certificates in place of college degrees.
The courses will provide successful students with the skills they need to enter higher-paying career fields, focusing on data analytics, project management, and user experience design taught by Google staff. The cost of the courses has not yet been disclosed but based on the company’s existing credentials it is estimated to be around $300 and Google has already announced that it will raise funds for 100,000 scholarships.
“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 the program ends, he was offered a role as an IT helpdesk technician at a nonprofit in his hometown of Washington, DC.” Kent Walker, senior vice president of global affairs at Google, wrote in a blog post. “These new career programs are designed and taught by Google staff working in these fields. The programs equip participants with the skills they need to get a job. No degree or prior experience is required to take courses.”
This shift from conventional academia has drawn criticism over the degree to which their students have accessibility. The financial burden of courses that take several years to complete can carry a lot of debts for students over the years after graduation. Some students who take a degree without job security or a decent wage guarantee can be bad from the start. In contrast, the purpose of the Google Career Certificate is to prepare students for immediate work for a portion of the cost of traditional college degrees.
“College degrees are beyond the reach of many Americans, and you don’t need a college diploma for financial security. We need new, accessible job-training solutions to help rebuild and rebuild America – from advanced vocational programs to online education.” Walker wrote, “Technology has become a lifeline to help many small businesses during the Covid-19 crisis. And online tools can help people gain new skills and get well-paying jobs.”
