Google offers alternative to college degrees

[loop101]

If Google can partially replace college tech degrees with their own material, I would expect a whole "Google college prep" industry to be created. Just like there is for CompTIA and for other certs. In case anyone is in the "exam prep" field.

Google Has Announced a Plan to Disrupt the College Degree

Google's new certificate program takes only six months to complete, and will be a fraction of the cost of college.

www.inc.com

Online Courses with Certificates - Grow with Google

Learn job-ready skills for in-demand jobs with Google Career Certificates, online certificate programs offering flexible, professional-level training.

grow.google

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[Tossek]

I love it and I hate it.

It is a very good thing that they put skin in the game of further education and downturn the costs of these educational courses. However, what is their intrinsic idea? Get more people into these trades and lower their costs of HR spending because they are bound within the certification scheme of Google which will absorb most of the people.
Nevertheless, it is a great opportunity to get fast training and then training on the job and be able to go into other companies after 2 to 3 years.

It is a bad thing because it loses a bit the general approach of college teaching. I know, I know most people here just want to get started and kill the cat but at some point you need the generalists. I would not like to miss my university time and what I have learned - though I know that I am not very fastlany .

 

[Kak]

I have always though a standardized proof of proficiency on a topic should be just as good as college. This all looks promising though.

Everything google does is super affordable or free.

 

[QDF]

Very interesting.

I wonder if this won't be a catalyst for bigger institutional changes in other industries as well.

I've often thought an engineering trade school would have a huge demand, from both an employer and student/employee perspective. ~40 hours a week, year-round with no long summer or winter breaks, and no "fluff" in the curriculum. More of a "work" culture as opposed to a relaxed college culture.

People could probably become engineers in 2 years or less.

The bottom line is there are better alternatives to an expensive 4-year degree, alternatives that don't exist yet. I hope this program moves the needle in the right direction.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[fridge]

The bottom line is there are better alternatives to an expensive 4-year degree, alternatives that don't exist yet. I hope this program moves the needle in the right direction.

I think there is, but it is confined to certain industries. For example, I have an associates degree, but with numerous certifications in IT that show I have some competency outside of a classroom. I definitely see anything technology related heading more towards lower college education/more certification & experience

 

[GPM]

I think this is fantastic. For me I kind of think that the goal of education is for the humans as a species to grow into the best we can be. Look at us and our quality of life now compared to 500 hundred years ago, 300 years ago, 100 years ago. I think a massive influence is our general level of education.

If you want to be some super specialized master at one particular thing, then go ahead, no one is stopping you.

There is a reason I am helping to pay for poor women overseas get an education. Raise up the most uneducated, and you can change entire societies. Now imagine if anyone in the world can have access to more advanced education. Those that have the nack for learning and doing can use those building blocks and grow it and go on to do great things.

I think actually unlocking the power of the internet for more than memes and cat videos would be fantastic.

 

[StrikingViper69]

I think this is fantastic. For me I kind of think that the goal of education is for the humans as a species to grow into the best we can be. Look at us and our quality of life now compared to 500 hundred years ago, 300 years ago, 100 years ago. I think a massive influence is our general level of education.

If you want to be some super specialized master at one particular thing, then go ahead, no one is stopping you.

There is a reason I am helping to pay for poor women overseas get an education. Raise up the most uneducated, and you can change entire societies. Now imagine if anyone in the world can have access to more advanced education. Those that have the nack for learning and doing can use those building blocks and grow it and go on to do great things.

I think actually unlocking the power of the internet for more than memes and cat videos would be fantastic.

Completely agree!

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[Kid]

Google should do alternative to itself.
As for now they are going down the tubes.

 

[Putt]

Professional certs are definitely becoming more relevant these days. I've met Business Administration majors that can't interpret financial statements and plenty enough 'tech' grads that can't explain anything to a non-tech.

Higher education has needed change for a long time. While I don't think Google is going to 'be' that change, hopefully they can make people believe change is possible.