Google Releases New IT Certificate

Google’s professional certificate in IT automation with Python became available this week for enrollment. The company launched a previous certificate in IT support in 2018.

The new certificate appears to be a similar structure but different subject matter. “Python is now the most in-demand programming language, and more than 530,000 U.S. jobs, including 75,000 entry-level jobs, require Python proficiency,” the company said in a news release. “With this new certificate, you can learn Python, Git and IT automation within six months.”

The first IT certificate the company released, which participants could achieve by completing five online courses hosted on Coursera, was meant to prepare students for jobs in information technology. It currently costs $49 per month, and the company estimates it takes about six to eight months. Over 100,000 people, the company said, have enrolled in the courses, and 84 percent of completers report a career impact.

The online courses for that certificate are being offered at numerous community colleges, aided by grant money from Jobs for the Future, a workforce nonprofit. The company plans to expand the number of community colleges offering the courses to 100 by the end of 2020. Google is one of a growing number big corporate players to introduce their own credentials into the postsecondary education and training ecosystem.