Want to become a Data Analyst or a UX Designer? How about a Project Manager? Google Career Certificates provides a pathway to these well-paying jobs — no college degree necessary.

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t think students will turn down Princeton to get a six-month Google Certificate. But it is a game changer because it forces colleges to think beyond the four-year undergraduate degree to create products that deliver education when, how and where people want it.

Alternative option for school leavers.

Google’s Career Certificates demonstrate that traditional higher education is no longer the only dominion of accredited higher education institutions. Instead, I predict there will be a variety of entrants moving into the higher education space, offering valuable credentials and providing the skills needed to launch professionally. What Google figured out is that employers don’t care about accreditation, they care about competencies. With its brand recognition, Google can offer a credential that has real value.

In essence, Google is trying to solve the mismatch between the jobs that are available and the people who need them. The Google Career Certificates program represents a way to close this skills gap quickly, effectively, and affordably via an online offering.

Some might see this as a new version of trade schools or vocational schools. But that would be a mistake. A trade school prepares students well for a lifetime as a high-paid electrician or plumber. With its Google Career Certificates program, Google is addressing a slightly different segment of the population: people interested in going into one of the more “professional” or tech-oriented trades. While the Google certificates appear to be aimed at students who are not planning to attend a traditional college, I suspect we may also see more traditional students in four-year degree programs tack on a Google certificate to their BA as a way to upskill pre- or post-graduation.

There needs to be a variety of higher education offerings.

This brings us to the second reason why Google Career Certificates is a gamechanger. It demonstrates that there really needs to be a variety of credentials, degrees, and certificates available to the general population.

There will always be people interested in a four-year degree, and that certainly will remain the core offering of more traditional universities and colleges.

But let’s be honest: There’s nothing particularly magic or compelling about why four years should be the “industry standard” for a higher education degree. Students are looking for and are certainly open to new pathways.

There’s an echo here to the great unbundling that took place in the cable television industry. Customers didn’t want to be presented with a “take it or leave it” slate of channels; they wanted to choose the channels that made sense for them. Similarly, higher education can no longer offer a “one-size-fits-all” approach for credentials and degrees.

Students are going to increasingly demand education on how they want it and when they want it.

Maybe a student doesn’t want to get an MBA, but they would really like to have a micro-credential in marketing analytics. Or maybe an undergraduate doesn’t want a four-year degree in computer science and just wants a certificate in Python or SQL.

Now that Google has kicked down the door, we can expect other major brands in other sectors to begin offering higher education credentials, taking their lead from Google.

Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/google-careers-certificate-program-changed-game-universities-should-pay-attention-2020-9
Photo: Supachok Pichetkul / EyeEm/Getty Images

Adam Weinberg was named president of Denison University on July 1, 2013. He has positioned the school as a leader on affordability, career readiness, internationalization, civic education, learning outcomes, and social inclusion. He previously served as president and CEO of World Learning, one of the premier international education, exchange, and development organizations.