Google IT Support Professional Certificate

[FrgMstr]

Google has started an educational program in order to help people train for jobs in IT support. The gist is that if you take the course, which costs $50 a month on Coursera, in eight to twelve months you can earn the certificate that carries weight with some of Google's partners such as BOA, Walmart, Sprint, and GE.


Today, we’re launching the Google IT Support Professional Certificate hosted on Coursera—a first-of-its-kind online program to prepare people for roles in IT support. With no previous experience required, beginning learners can become entry-level job ready in eight to 12 months. This program is part of Grow with Google, our initiative to help people get the skills they need to find a job.

 

[the-one1]

Why? They can just lookup errors and PC symptoms on Google

 

[TrailRunner]

Entry level support doesn't pay very well, and afaik isn't too difficult to get into. The site says that entry-level salary is $52k a year, judging by the unsolicited emails that I get far too frequently from recruiters, in my area support can realistically expect only 1/2 that. Not convinced $600 is a good deal for this.

*Edit: after reviewing what the course actually covers, the later several sections actually include some useful stuff. Scripting, system administration, version control!. Nothing that you couldn't learn for free from web sites or videos on Youtube, but there's value in having it in one place, plus the 'certificate' shows you have an expected base level of knowledge. It's not as much of a ripoff as I initially thought and probably a decent alternative for someone who might be eyeing a 2-year program.

 

[Spidey329]

Sure, why not. Do we really need more certifications? It kinda seems like this is a competitor to an A+ cert.

Entry level support doesn't pay very well, and afaik isn't too difficult to get into. The site says that entry-level salary is $52k a year, judging by the unsolicited emails that I get far too frequently from recruiters, in my area support can realistically expect only 1/2 that. Not convinced $600 is a good deal for this.

*Edit: after reviewing what the course actually covers, the later several sections actually include some useful stuff. Scripting, system administration, version control!. Nothing that you couldn't learn for free from web sites or videos on Youtube, but there's value in having it in one place, plus the 'certificate' shows you have an expected base level of knowledge. It's not as much of a ripoff as I initially thought and probably a decent alternative for someone who might be eyeing a 2-year program.

I see many job postings for System Admins or Sr. System Admins around that $52k mark.

$52k maybe at Google HQ because of the insane cost of living there.

I recently interviewed with a company that was seeking a Systems/Network Admin with experience in PHP/Python. Naturally, they want to pay $18-20/hr for such a person, lol (they used DoE for the salary listing, otherwise I wouldn't have wasted my time).

What they really want is a newly minted CS Degree that will take a low-amount for their first post-degree job.

 

[masquap]

 

[Tweak42]

Sure, why not. Do we really need more certifications? It kinda seems like this is a competitor to an A+ cert.



I see many job postings for System Admins or Sr. System Admins around that $52k mark.

$52k maybe at Google HQ because of the insane cost of living there.

I recently interviewed with a company that was seeking a Systems/Network Admin with experience in PHP/Python. Naturally, they want to pay $18-20/hr for such a person, lol (they used DoE for the salary listing, otherwise I wouldn't have wasted my time).

What they really want is a newly minted CS Degree that will take a low-amount for their first post-degree job.

On a positive note this certification is by an actual tech company (like Cisco) that are actually looking to employ people that pass it, as opposed to a trade association (CompTIA) that is a bit less connected to who gets hired.

The price and time commitments also sounds fair compared to those 30 day boot camps that promise the world for thousands of $$.

 

[TrailRunner]

Sure, why not. Do we really need more certifications? It kinda seems like this is a competitor to an A+ cert.

I got my A+ certification when I was in high school. The Google program looks like it's quite a bit more in depth than that was. If it's a competitor to A+, it's about time that the competition showed up.

 

[Methadras]

Does it carry weight with google though if you wanted to work with google?

 

[D4rkn3ss]

educational program on what? shitty ads and censoring and spying on fucking people?