By Betty Vandenbosch, Chief Content Officer, Coursera
In a recent Coursera survey of university students from around the world, 86% of respondents said earning an industry microcredential would help them stand out to employers and secure jobs when they graduate – a testament to the importance of integrating industry-led learning into a degree curriculum. Historically, however, collaboration between industry and academia has been slow and piecemeal.
We’re partnering with Google to announce a curated offering on Coursera to prepare learners for entry-level roles in specialized and growing industries, such as construction and sustainability project management, finance and public sector data analysis, and health IT. Learners on Coursera can now choose from five university-taught Specializations in high-growth industries, each designed to align with an existing Google Professional Certificate.
By participating in university and industry learning programs, learners are exposed to both the practical and theoretical knowledge needed for one of these in-demand, specialized roles. The complementary offerings serve students and early-career learners, as well as those who may be further along in their careers and looking to switch to a new track. The curated pairings are as follows:
- Data Analytics in Finance from the University of Illinois and Google – Learn foundational skills for a variety of entry-level financial analyst and accountant roles.
- Data Analytics in the Public Sector from the University of Michigan and Google – Explore data analytics in the public sector, developing skills that can be used in entry-level jobs such as policy analyst and data analyst.
- Healthcare IT from Johns Hopkins University and Google – Examine the crossroads of healthcare and big data, preparing for an entry-level role such as health IT specialist or healthcare customer support.
- Project Management in Construction from Columbia University and Google – Help build tomorrow’s infrastructure by gaining skills and tools for entry-level construction management analyst and construction estimator jobs.
- Project Management in Sustainability from Arizona State University and Google – Prepare to enter the growing “green collar” industry with the foundational knowledge needed for entry-level roles such as sustainability analyst and sustainability coordinator.
“Google is thrilled to offer Google Career Certificate graduates additional pathways to great jobs through our collaboration with Coursera and some of the world’s leading universities,” said Lisa Gevelber, Founder, Grow with Google. “These new courses provide a unique opportunity for people to learn from experts at Google and renowned university faculty to learn the skills needed for growing industries.”
Upon completion of any of the Google certificates, learners will be able to apply for relevant jobs at 150 companies in the Google Career Certificates Employer Consortium, including Rocket Companies, Verizon, Deloitte, and of course, Google. The Google certificates also have ACE Credit Recommendation, so learners may be eligible to receive up to 12 credits at a participating college or university in the US, or the equivalent of four college courses at the associate’s degree level.*
We’re proud to partner with Google and leading universities to help learners quickly develop the skills needed to launch well-paying careers.
Launch your career today with Professional Certificates from Google and Specializations from top universities on Coursera.
* Each college and university has its own policies around credit for prior learning, including whether or not to accept certificates for credit toward a degree. The ACE Credit Recommendations mentioned here do not currently apply to any of the university Specializations listed above, nor do universities listed here necessarily accept ACE Credit Recommendations.