Technology is one of the fastest-growing areas of employment in the world, and as such, many people are trying to find ways to educate themselves in one of the many technology sectors. Completing a Google Career Certificate can be a great way to add credentials to your resume and learn valuable skills, but are they worth it?

A Google Certificate is worth the time and effort for someone who is interested in a job in an IT field. It can be completed quickly, is comparable to college classes, and is much cheaper than a college education.

However, individuals should understand that not all employers will take a Google Certificate in lieu of a college degree, and you may have a hard time finding employment outside of the businesses that partnered with Google on this program. Still, with over 150 partnered businesses, many people have found that a Google Certificate helped them advance into better-paying jobs.

What Are Google Certificates?

According to Google.com, the Google Career Certificate program is an online program that allows people to obtain professional certifications that will help them obtain work in some of the fastest-growing careers in the technology sector. Individuals receive both skill training and hands-on practice, while also receiving assistance in finding a relevant job once they have completed the course.

These courses are provided on Coursera and are taught by professionals in the industry (often Google employees). There are numerous courses available, and some individuals may be able to access these courses for free through government grants, financial aid, or pandemic programs.

What Google Certificate Courses Are Available?

When creating the program, Google created several courses that would walk individuals down specific pathways for certain in-demand jobs. This means that the content that you learn in each course is highly specific to a certain job in the IT field. What type of job you want to pursue will determine which course is the right one for you.

Below, you will find a list of available courses along with a brief description of each one.

Google Project Management Certificate

If you are interested in becoming a project manager, this course might be helpful to you. There are six courses in this certificate program and each one will help you grow and develop skills in areas such as:

Business Writing
Project Planning
Project Management
Career Development
Strategic Thinking
Stakeholder Management
Risk Management
Procurement

Once an individual has completed the course, they are invited to apply to one of over 150 U.S employers, which include employers such as Google, Walmart, and Best Buy.

Google Data Analytics Certificate

Maybe project management is not your thing, and you would rather spend your day crunching numbers. If so, then this course might be better suited for you. The Google Data Analytics Certificate is designed to help people find entry-level data analyst jobs. This course can be completed in less than 6 months and will teach individuals skills such as:

Spreadsheets
Data Visualization
Data Analysis
Data Cleansing
Metadata
Data Collection
SQL
Much More

Not only can completion of this certificate help people land a job in the field, but it can be used to elevate you in your current position.

Google UX Design Certificate

If you are interested in the technological field of design, this certificate would be right for you. This certificate will place people on a path toward a career in UX design and can be completed in under 6 months. Additionally, you do not have to have any prior experience to succeed in this course. Individuals will learn skills in many areas, including:

UX Research
Wireframe
Figma
Usability Testing
Adobe XD
User Experience Design
Much More

The certificate program includes over 200 hours of instruction and hands-on activities. Once completed, you will have a portfolio of completed projects to help you land a job in the field.

Google IT Support Certificate

This is one of the more well-known certificate programs offered by Google. Once completed, individuals can find jobs as systems administrators, help-desk technicians, or customer support professionals. Individuals will learn valuable skills, such as:

Debugging
Customer Service
Network Protocols
Cloud Computing
Binary Code
Troubleshooting
Linux
Much More

There are five courses in this program, and they can be completed in under six months. With only 100 hours of instruction, it is one of the less intensive courses offered by Google.

Google IT Automation with Python Certificate

If you have some experience with computers or are already working in an IT field but would like to enhance your career, this certificate might be right for you. Individuals will learn in-demand skills, such as:

Using Version Control
Configuration Management
Automation
Basic Python Data Structures
Fundamental Programming Concepts
Testing in Python, REGX
OOP
Much More

It is recommended that learners have some experience in IT before taking this course. Once finished, individuals will be able to apply for a much wider range of IT jobs, including advanced IT support specialists and Junior Systems administrators.

What Experience Do I Need to Complete a Google Certificate Program?

According to Google, excluding the IT automation course, no experience is necessary, and anyone can enroll in and complete a Google Certificate course. That being said, there may be differing levels of difficulty with each course, and having some prior knowledge may help you advance through the courses. Additionally, the certificate alone might not be enough to land a job with some employers.

Will A Google Certificate Get Me Any Job?

No. In fact, there are many employers who will not hire an individual if they have just a Google Certificate. The program was designed to teach people how to do some of the most in-demand jobs in the IT industry. Many businesses that were struggling to keep these roles filled have partnered with Google and Coursera to hire those who have freshly completed the course. However, outside of these businesses, you might find that some employers ask for higher education requirements. Still, it might be possible to get a job in the field and gain the experience you need to land a better job elsewhere.

How Much Do Google Certificates Cost?

Google offers its certificate program through Coursera and individuals must pay a membership fee of $39 dollars a month. Considering that the courses will take about six months to complete, you will be paying at least six months of membership fees (which may be charged to your account on an annual basis). That ends up being at least $240 in fees. Additionally, while the Android Developer certificate is free to take, the exam will cost around $150 to take.

This may sound like a lot of money, but when compared to the college classes that you are replacing by taking these courses, you are saving yourself quite a lot of money. For example, a single college class can run anywhere from $300 to $1,500, depending on which college you attend. For a Certificate with five courses, that could equal between $1,500 and $7,500 to take the same courses through a college.

Conclusion

A Google Certificate program is worth it if you are interested in a career in IT or want to enhance your prior IT career. You gain a lot of targeted knowledge; you are being taught by some of the leading professionals in the field; you can complete it in less than six months, and you are saving a ton of money bypassing college classes. However, if you are unsure whether you want to pursue a career in IT and just want to try it, you might be better off finding a cheaper class to check it out before committing to a full program.

Is Google Certificate Worth It? Absolutely yes, here’s why …