Google has announced this week that they will start accepting Google Learning Certificates to replace college degrees. They are offering 6-month courses for future employees to train for jobs in a lot less time than it would take in college. Google Career Certificates will be viewed by the company and are considered equivalent to a 4-year college degree.
The cost for these certificates has not yet been released. In comparison to the company’s current certificates, they are predicting the costs will be $300 and Google will also be offering funds for 100,000 scholarships.
Successful students will get the skills needed to enter into high-paying fields with excellent growth potential. The fields being focused on including Data Analytics, Project Management, and User Experience Design which will be designed and taught by Google employees.
According to Kent Walker, a senior vice president of global affairs at Google, these new programs are designed by employees who work in these fields. The programs will provide students with the essential skills to get a job. The best part yet, you do not need any previous experience or degrees to take these courses. He added, Yves Cooper who was working as a van driver, enrolled in the program through their Grow with Google Partner, Merit America. Within 5 days of completing our program, he was offered a position as an IT help desk technician at a nonprofit organization in his hometown – Washington DC.
The changes in conventional academia received criticism regarding degrees and their accessibility to students. The financial burden on students taking courses for several years to complete has led to enormous debt after graduation leaving them in serious financial struggles. These degrees have left many students worse off than they were before. On the other hand, Google Career Certificates focus on preparing students for immediate work for a fraction of the cost for traditional degrees.
Kent Walker believes technology is the lifeline to aid many small businesses during the COVID-19 crisis and there are so many online tools available to help people develop new skills and find good-paying jobs. Walker also said that college degrees are far out of reach for many Americans and no one should need a college diploma to acquire economic security. "We need accessible job training solutions from enhanced vocational programs and online education to help Americans recover and rebuild their lives."