Google continues to make waves by becoming innovative in the way we learn, consume information, and now, obtaining a degree.
Last month, Google announced its launch of professionally tailored courses that will teach job seekers the skills needed to land major careers in tech, graphic design, software engineering, and more. Leaving many to ask, “will I still need a college degree?”
These courses are designed to teach career hunters the tools needed to secure stability in employment by providing what the company is calling Google Career Certificates for a fraction of what a four-year accredited college degree costs.
Not enough experience to secure the bag
One major criticism that has plagued higher education for years is the requirements needed to land a job post-graduation, which many colleges do not equip students with before handing over their degrees.
You need experience for the job, but how do you gain that experience if employers won’t hire you?
Senior vice president of global affairs at Google Kent Walker suggests how the infrastructure of a college education is becoming more unattainable for working-class Americans.
“We need new, accessible job-training solutions–from enhanced vocational programs to online education–to help America recover and rebuild.”
The struggles between getting an education, bringing in money, and caring for loved ones have caused people to bypass education in exchange for finding creative ways to gain access to wealth.
“College degrees are out of reach for many Americans, and you shouldn’t need a college diploma to have economic security,” – Kent Walker
Walker has a good point, so how does Google plan to bridge the gap?
Helping people find jobs
Google claims their courses will help students to find work in high-performing careers.
The three new programs that Google plans to offer, along with the median annual wage for each position (as quoted by Google), are:
- Data analyst ($66,000)
- UX designer ($75,000)
- Project manager ($93,000)
Google says the programs will give students the essential skills they need to get a job, with no prior experience or degree required to take the courses.
What makes this method more feasible is Google’s ability to meet students where they are. Which allows room for growth both educationally and professionally.
It is not yet released how much each course will cost. You can stay up to date on this story and more from Google by visiting coursera.org.
