The economic devastation wrought by the pandemic is forcing a lot of people to rethink their career choices. But who has time to go back to school for a Bachelors or Masters degree? One option I just learned about seems promising…
I just learned about Google professional certificates. No background tech knowledge is required, you spend on the order of ten hours per week, and in approximately six months you get a certificate in IT Support, Data Analytics, UX Design, Project Management, or Android Development. The cost is $39/month and financial aid is available.
Since 2018 this program has enabled people from groups traditionally underrepresented in tech to enter the field: 53 percent of IT Support Certificate graduates in the U.S. have been female, Black, LatinX, or veterans. And 82 percent of graduates say the program helped them advance their career within six months, including getting a raise, starting a new business, or finding a new job.
Here’s a video testimonial:
Caveat: I have no first hand experience or any connection, personal or professional, with this program. But knowing it’s backed by Google and looking through the promotional material, it seems like a decent way to get some solid tech skills in a short period of time for a reasonably small investment of time and money.
I’m happy to serve as a mentor to any of my family, friends, or mailing list subscribers who try this. If you do sign up for this program, let me know how you like it and how I can help you!