Gabriel Gonzalez
Student Life Editor
Another avenue of career development has just opened up as ESU is now offering Google Career Certificates.
Through a partnership with the Google Corporation, the Governor’s Office of Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), can now provide ESU with certificate classes for thousands of for-credit and non-credit students.
PASSHE opened the online initiative to help thousands build skills for growing industries.
And for ESU students, it’s absolutely free. These certificate classes will be available until December 2024. All students have to do is fill out a Google Interest Form and include their student status. The certification courses are not tied to the ESU semester, either, so courses running past the semester end date will still be able to be completed.
Here’s a list of several in-demand areas covered by Google Career Certificates:
- Business Intelligence
- Cybersecurity
- Data Analytics
- Digital Marketing & E-commerce
- IT Support
- Project Management
- User Experience (UX) Design
“These certificates are recognized by a consortium of over 150 employers, including Google itself,” says Breanna Betarie, director of Career and Workforce Development, “giving graduates valuable credentials that are highly regarded in the job market.”
According to coursera.org, 75 percent of people who took Google Career Certificates report a positive career outcome. This can be anywhere from a raise to a new job opportunity.
And there are 1.8 million job postings across the breadth of fields offered, with a median entry-level salary across these fields of $93,000.
For those full-time students who are worried about the extra workload, Google Career Certificates have been constructed with full-time workers in mind.
“The certificates are designed to be flexible and can typically be completed in three to six months (or about one semester) with part-time study,” Betarie explains.
All certificate courses are online and flexible, even allowing for those taking the course to adjust assignment deadlines. Some even report finishing their course in two months instead of three.
But the program does have some disadvantages. After researching the program, Forbes reported a slight misalignment between salary expectations and real-world offers. There is also the fact that working with Google or other companies in their network isn’t guaranteed. And since it’s online, there is a lack of hands-on experience.
However, students are still excited to participate. “I feel like that’s wonderful, said sophomore Ishmael Burrell, sociology major with a minor in computer science, of Philadelphia, Pa. “Especially for the IT community. Some people get a degree and don’t even get a job. But these certificates can really help. I feel like it’s perfect.”
Some students have missed the partnership announcement, unaware that the program is even being offered. But when they do learn of the opportunity, they wish they would’ve been pursued sooner.
The Stroud Courier asked the Office of Career and Workforce Development why students should participate, and they had a ready answer.
“I highly encourage students to consider participating in this program,” says Betarie. “Not only does it provide them with practical, industry-recognized skills, but it also enhances their job prospects and earning potential. The certificates are a great way to gain a competitive edge in today’s job market, particularly in fast-growing fields like IT and data analytics.”
For more information on Google Certificates or particular fields, click this link.