Google Partners with 4 Universities to Offer First-Ever Specializations to Complement Its Career Certificates

Google announced it is partnering with Columbia University, the University of Michigan, Arizona State University, and the University of Illinois' Gies College of Business to offer new industry specializations in growing fields to complement its Google Career Certificates. These specializations are designed for those in continuing education programs and will give them additional skills in high-demand fields.

Offered on the Coursera online learning platform, the specializations include construction management, public sector data analytics, financial analysis, and sustainability analysis. Courses were reviewed for industry applicability by companies in the Google Career Certificates employer consortium, such as Ford and Verizon. Upon completion, learners earn a certificate that can be shared with prospective employers.

"Google is thrilled to offer Google Career Certificate graduates additional pathways to great jobs through our collaboration with some of the world's leading universities," said Lisa Gevelber, founder of Grow with Google, in a statement. "These new courses provide a unique opportunity for people to learn from experts at Google and renowned university faculty to learn the skills needed for growing industries."

"ASU, together with Google, is reimagining how we serve learners from all backgrounds and stages in life who are looking for career advancement opportunities," commented Maria Anguiano, executive vice president of Learning Enterprise at Arizona State University. "This career education program is driven by learner and industry needs for sustainability skills that are backed by robust academic expertise. Now, individuals don't have to choose between learning from world-renowned scholars and gaining job skills that can be applied immediately at work. They can do both and succeed on their own terms."

The new offerings are part of the Grow with Google program. Started in 2017, it now includes 8,500-plus partner organizations and has helped more than 9 million Americans grow their skills in high-growth fields such as data analytics, digital marketing and e-commerce, among others. Google Career Certificates do not require a degree or experience and can be completed within 3-6 months of part-time study, the company said.

Read more about the Grow with Google program here.

About the Author

Kate Lucariello is a former newspaper editor, EAST Lab high school teacher and college English teacher.

Featured

  • Hand holding a stylus over a tablet with futuristic risk management icons

    Why Universities Are Ransomware's Easy Target: Lessons from the 23% Surge

    Academic environments face heightened risk because their collaboration-driven environments are inherently open, making them more susceptible to attack, while the high-value research data they hold makes them an especially attractive target. The question is not if this data will be targeted, but whether universities can defend it swiftly enough against increasingly AI-powered threats.

  • cloud with binary code and technology imagery

    Report: Hybrid and AI Expansion Outpacing Cloud Security

    A new survey from the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) and Tenable finds that rapid adoption of hybrid, multi-cloud and AI systems is outpacing the security measures meant to protect them, leaving organizations exposed to preventable breaches and identity-related risks.

  • file folder with glowing cloud symbol

    Report: 95% of IT Leaders Encounter Unexpected Cloud Storage Costs

    A recent survey commissioned by Backblaze found nearly all large organizations face hidden cloud storage charges that limit flexibility and drive data lock-in.

  • businessman juggling cubes

    Anthology Restructures, Focuses on Teaching and Learning Business

    Anthology has announced a strategic restructuring, divesting its Enterprise Operations, Lifecycle Engagement, and Student Success businesses and filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in an effort to right-size its finances and focus on its core teaching and learning products.