Google University ! Google’s Plan to Disrupt the College Degree . www.anakyst.com

Google made waves recently by announcing its new
program, “Google Career Certificates,” a collection of courses
designed to help participants get qualifications in high-paying,
high-growth job fields without attending university.

The courses should take about six months to complete, and will
cost a fraction of a traditional college education.

Last week I described this as “Google’s plan to disrupt the
college degree.”

The response was huge. The article has been shared thousands of
times and has prompted thousands of comments. Additionally,
tons of people have reached out to me personally to share their
thoughts.

Most of the feedback has been extremely positive, but some
readers have expressed skepticism. Let’s take a deeper dive into
both of these responses to see just why Google’s new certificates
are such a big deal–and why the plan is ingenious.

As Kent Walker, senior vice president of global affairs at
Google, succinctly put it in a blog
post:

“We will consider our new career certificates as the equivalent
of a four-year degree for related roles.”

Old idea, different package

Those who commented or reached out included professionals,
employers, and especially students who were happy to see an
alternative to what many consider a broken educational system–one
that leaves many burdened with student debt for years while leaving
them unprepared for the real world.

The truth is, traditional higher education may be necessary for
some career paths, but for others it is neither necessary nor
practical. Google’s alternative not only costs a fraction of a
traditional college education, it can also be completed in far less
time–and can better equip graduates for the jobs they’re
seeking.

Of course, what Google is offering isn’t exactly new. In some
ways, the new program resembles other types of training that have
existed for years, like vocational education or apprenticeship
programs. The difference is, since Google is a household name, its
certificate can be easily recognized and accepted across companies
and industries–much like a degree from a major university.

Google’s initiative holds a major lesson for other employers,
too. For example, many companies have discovered that it’s far
better to hire for character and personality, and then teach
skills.

If you’re an employer, could you design a job training program
of your own?

You could share principles and real-world techniques taken from
your highest performers. A program like this would be an
investment, but you could then offer the training online through
already existing e-learning platforms, charge participants to
enroll, and then provide a certificate at the end. You may
even already have an in-house training program that can serve as
the foundation for your course.

An online cert program could help employers greatly expand their
talent pool, opening up the possibility to find untapped talent in
unusual places. You’ll also foster an emotional connection with
potential candidates. After all, if their educational experience
with your company is a positive one, where do you think they’ll
apply for a job first?

Additionally, at a time when many companies are struggling to
reinvent themselves and take advantage of online resources, this
could be an additional revenue stream.

Can it really replace college?

Not all the feedback I received was in praise of Google’s
initiative.

Many readers expressed concern that not enough employers would
value Google’s certificate program. One even described the program
as a “money racket,” arguing that graduates would likely not get a
job at Google and would then feel the need to go to college after
all.

It’s true, the key to Google’s program gaining any traction is
for other companies to follow the company’s lead.

But many have already done so. For example, Google has
established a consortium of over 50 employers who can tap into
graduates of Google’s certificate program, inviting graduates to
share their information directly with said employers.

So far, participating employers include:

• Walmart
• Intel
• Sprint
• Bank of America
• PNC
• Best Buy
• H&R Block
• Hulu
• Infosys
• Sam’s Club

Google claims its certificate programs are “product agnostic and
designed to help people land jobs at any company, across any
sector.” The company is currently inviting employers of all sizes
with a variety of hiring needs to apply to join the consortium.
Accepted companies will have access to exclusive job boards and
will be invited to participate in interview days.

This is just a start. And it doesn’t include the other
companies that have already done away with the requirement for
four-year degrees in many of their job descriptions, including
Apple and IBM. In the U.K., even more traditional firms like EY
and Penguin Random House have done the same.

As more employers accept the practice, it will continue to gain
momentum.

Another criticism readers leveled was that there are certain
lessons taught in higher education that you simply can’t get in
other places.

“Students need more than a checklist of skills in order to
compete in the real world,” wrote one reader on LinkedIn. “They
need depth, breadth, and critical thinking abilities.”

I agree that critical thinking is … well, critical. But you want
to know where I achieved much of my depth, breadth, and critical
thinking skills?

It wasn’t in college. It was in an elementary school program
that was provided for “gifted and talented” students. From third to
fifth grade, I participated in a nontraditional curriculum for one
day a week, every Friday. And the education I got there was
invaluable.

We studied complex problems like acid rain and overpopulation.
In doing so, we learned how to properly identify and brainstorm
solutions to those problems. I’d love to see more critical thinking
skills taught at a young age like this, along with
more emotional intelligence-themed programs–and not just to a
select few, but to all students–with more job-focused skills being
taught in certificate programs like what Google is doing.

In the end, I don’t think Google’s program will completely
replace college education. But I do think it’s a step in the right
direction–a separate path for students who are looking for
something different than traditional higher education.

And it’s coming at a time when it’s needed most: a time when a
global pandemic has thrust millions out of jobs. A time where
skills-based training is in great demand.

In the U.S., education is an industry, one that’s been dominated
by the same legacy players for far too long.

And, as in any industry, options are a good
thing. Competition is a good thing. Because out of competition
comes innovation. Out of innovation comes disruption. And out of
disruption comes progress.