Google CEO Sundar Pichai has announced a new certificate program and other courses that will provide a gateway to positions at companies like Anthem, Bayer, Deloitte, Verizon and SAP.

In a blog post, Pichai explained that on March 11, Coursera users will have access to a new Associate Android Developer Certification course in addition to the three new certificates in user experience (UX) design, project management and data analytics that have been available since September.

“With more businesses embracing digital ways of working, it’s estimated that 50% of all employees will need reskilling by 2025. As U.S. job growth returns with more people getting vaccinated, we are committed to ensuring that all Americans have the skills they need to benefit from greater economic opportunity,” Pichai wrote. 

SEE: Return to work: What the new normal will look like post-pandemic (free PDF) (TechRepublic)

“To help, today we’re announcing new efforts, including opening up enrollment for our latest career certificates, expanding our employer consortium, and introducing new tools to improve the job search.”

Google will be providing 100,000 scholarships for its Career Certificates program and said it has already helped bring 170,000 Americans into the tech industry through their certificate platform. 

Once the program is completed, students will gain access to a job board populated by companies like Accenture, Infosys, Zennify, SiriusXM+ Pandora, and, of course, Google. 

“We are so excited about the promise these Certificates have shown in rapidly reskilling workers for fast-growing tech jobs—and ultimately their ability to support a more equitable and inclusive economic recovery,” said Lisa Gevelber, vice president at Grow with Google.

Labor Department data shows that there are about 10 million people unemployed right now, but the World Economic Forum estimates that millions of employees across the country will need some form of reskilling in the next five to 10 years. 

The Coursera lessons will cost $39 each month for the length of the Google Certificate program. The company is also creating apprenticeships in the certificate fields of data analytics, IT support, project management and user experience design. 

Applications will be open starting in April.

The 100,000 scholarships Google announced will be distributed through a number of nonprofits, workforce development boards and community organizations like Merit America, Per Scholas, NPower, Goodwill, Futuro Health and Generation USA. 

“Google Career Certificates provide a fast and flexible way for workers to transition into in-demand careers, without having to quit their day jobs while they learn,” said Rebecca Taber, co-CEO of Merit America. 

Connor Diemand-Yauman, co-CEO of Merit America, added that the partnership “has led to transformative outcomes for our participants, with the majority of graduates securing new roles, moving from an average pre-program salary of $26,000 to an average post-program salary of $50,000, nearly doubling their income.”

After the announcement in September, Google expanded the Google Career Certificates Hiring Consortium to include more than 130 companies; those who complete the program will be able to send their resumes to companies directly. 

Google says it not only wants to help those out of work but also those looking to work their way up from where they currently are. The company is joining forces with Guild Education to work on upskilling efforts. 

The partnership will see frontline workers at organizations like Walmart, the Walt Disney Company, Discover, Chipotle and Lowe’s gain access to the Google Career Certificates so they can learn new skills and advance within their respective workplace. 

“Our partnership with Google will allow us to provide strategic upskilling opportunities to America’s workforce,” said Paul Freedman, president of the Learning Marketplace at Guild Education. “Leveraging the Google Career Certificates, frontline employees of our Fortune 1000 employer partners can develop many of the essential skills needed for today’s in-demand jobs.”

The Google Certificates program was originally created at the beginning of the pandemic as the company surveyed workers to gain a better understanding of what was happening. 

A study from the Strada Center for Education Consumer Insights found that more than a third of workers will be pivotal in finding a new job if they lose their current position and 73% said they were interested in online training programs to help diversify their skills. 

The survey found that 70% of respondents believe online certificates will give them a leg up during the job application process. 

Google also announced that it is creating a new search feature in the United States that will attempt to make it simpler for people to find jobs based on their levels of experience and education.

People can now search “no degree jobs” on Google to find opportunities and the company is partnering with job sites like Glassdoor, LinkedIn, Snagajob, ZipRecruiter and CareerBuilder to make job postings more clear about requirements. 

“As economic recovery accelerates in communities around the U.S. and across the globe, we have an opportunity to help build an economy that is more inclusive and equitable,” Pichai said in a statement. “That’s what today’s announcements are designed to do, and we’re excited to partner with employers, community colleges, nonprofits and job seekers to make it happen.”

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