For job seekers looking for a new tech career, learning the skills necessary may feel like an obstacle. Google career certifications provide a path to these new careers in several sectors like UX design and project management. They offer affordable access to learning tools and even networking opportunities.
Finding a job in the tech sector often looks intimidating, especially for novices. It feels like competition is fierce, especially among some skill-heavy roles like UX Design and Data Analytics. But for all the competition, it is easier to find a role in many tech-adjacent fields than ever before.
Whereas training for these jobs previously took place in colleges and for-profit tech schools, things are different now. Most of the resources necessary to learn the needs of tech jobs live online in YouTube videos and comprehensive guides.
Some companies, like Google, take things a step further: They offer complete career certification courses online to help jumpstart careers and brush up on skills to build a resume. But are Google certifications worth it? How quickly can a person finish a course and break into a new industry?
What are Google Career Certifications?
According to Google, their career certificate program offers professional-level training for jobs in the tech sector. These roles encompass a wide range of responsibilities. Google touts these programs as excellent for anyone without experience who wants to learn at their pace.
Most courses include a mixture of hands-on projects, quizzes and assignments and regular assessments to gauge the understanding of the material.
The self-guided courses live on the Coursera platform and are entirely remote. Google suggests that coursework should not take more than 10 hours per week, but the time spent depends on the learner. While Google intends the courses to meet the needs of those without a four-year degree, it offers plenty of benefits to those who have one.
How Much do Google Career Certifications Cost?
Google career certificate courses are not free. The classes have a monthly fee of $39 and usually take three to six months to finish. Certification exams have associated costs, too. Financial assistance is available through both Coursera and partner organizations like Social Finance.
List of Google Certifications by Career
One of the best parts of Google’s career certificate program is that various training types are available. The program does not limit learners to one field. Depending on the niche someone wants to follow, they can approach a new career in one (or more) of the following areas. The pricing on many of these programs is affordable enough to learn multiple skills.
IT Support
Google’s IT Support certificates allow learners to develop networking and operating system skills. Courses also teach skills that relate to problem-solving through code. The IT program offers two levels: an IT support certificate for entry-level jobs, and an automation track with Python language development.
The median salary for most IT support jobs is $57,910 per year. Salaries vary based on skills, location and type of work, but the job outlook for this field is positive. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts almost 75,000 positions to open each year over the next decade. Common, high-demand IT support jobs can include:
While the certificate can be a significant career boost to those looking to join the IT sector, it can also be a positive experience for tenured IT professionals. Courses are up-to-date on current IT principles, which helps shore up knowledge gaps current IT workers may have.
UX Design
User experience (UX) design is a fast-growing field with excellent potential for new hires and experienced developers. With roots in both physical product design and web development and design, UX jobs significantly impact the usability of apps and services across devices and platforms.
Google’s UX design certificate helps prospective designers learn how to develop user personas and design wireframes and prototypes. It also touches on testing and iteration. The final steps, including constructing a professional portfolio, can help new UX designers score their first entry-level position.
UX design salaries can vary based on location, but the average base salary as of May 2022 is $109,776. Years of experience also play a role, which makes starting a career in this field even more important. Typical in-demand roles in UX include:
Project Management
Project management professionals in any organization ensure that things happen and deliverables end up where they need to. With nearly 479,000 in-demand job openings and a median salary of $73,000, project management is a fast-growing part of the tech sector.
Google’s project management certificate allows learners to develop the skills they need for career growth in several roles that use them, including:
Data Analytics
Most companies use data to make nearly every critical decision these days. This makes being able to interpret data even more of an essential skill. Data analytics professionals utilize their knowledge to create visualizations and share the story with stakeholders at all levels of an organization. From junior analysts to finance and operations analysts, data professionals find work in industries across the board.
Data analysts earn high compensation for their work: They earn an estimated median pay of $74,000 annually. According to Google, 380,000 in-demand job openings in this field exist.
Digital Marketing
Digital marketing is one of the fastest-growing fields in the tech landscape. Learning digital marketing fundamentals can help open new doors and create a new career. Google’s digital marketing and e-commerce certificate teaches entry-level skills to those without prior experience. In addition to the fundamentals of Google’s products like Google Ads and Google Analytics, it helps users learn the basics of common platforms in the industry, such as Canva, Hootsuite, Shopify and more.
Google touts its certificate as an excellent in-road to a career in digital marketing with endorsem*nts by the American Association of Advertising Agencies and the American Advertising Federation.
Digital marketing careers offer a median annual salary of $51,000 but earning potential can grow with experience and location.
Are Google Career Certifications Worth It?
While it is true that many of the Google career certification courses share information that is readily available online, those other courses may not offer the access the paid Google platform does. Google partners with more than 140 companies in the tech field. This can help learners make essential connections to land a coveted entry-level role. Combine that with the availability of scholarships and the low cost of the courses, and a Google Career Certificate can genuinely pay for itself over the life of a new career.
Final Thoughts on Google Career Certifications
Many people who seek new careers in tech have questions about where to start. Their concerns may involve the cost of training or even the difficulty of networking with hiring managers and companies in that space. Google Career Certifications help reduce the friction between job seekers and companies by using their clout and expertise in the space to make those connections.
Top Takeaways
(Reporting by NPD)
