AUSTIN, Texas — The University of Texas System and Google are partnering to offer career certificates to students across eight UT academic institutions with the goal of equipping graduates with additional skills to help them find jobs after graduation.
According to a release, the certificates will prepare students with skills in the fields of data analytics, e-commerce and digital marketing, IT support, automation in python, project management and user experience (UX) design.
The partnership is Google's largest to date. UT institutions will embed the certificates into undergraduate degree programs and co-curricular experiences with options to receive university credit at no additional cost to students, the release stated.
The UT System expects up to 10,000 students could be reached by the opportunity in the next year by the program. It can be scaled up once the system figures out the best way to incorporate the certificates into the student experience.
“Pairing a bachelor’s degree with a Google certificate leads to graduates who are both broadly educated and specifically skilled – a winning combination for students and employers,” said UT System Chancellor James B. Milliken in part.
Additionally, UTEP, UTRGV and UTSA are three of more than 20 institutions of higher education nationwide to participate in Google's program to better reach Hispanic-serving institutions.
Google Career Certificates will be available on Coursera and can be completed within three to six months of part-time study, with no degree or experience required, the release stated. The program includes an employer consortium of more than 150 companies that are committed to considering graduates for entry-level roles.
"Today’s announcement will bolster more dynamic partnerships between industry, academia and employers, ensuring Texans are equipped for the high-skill, high-wage jobs of the future,” said U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) in part.