Neil here.
A couple of weeks ago, Google announced that they’ll be launching three “Career Certificate” courses to teach students a gamut of different skills, ranging from data analysis to UX (user experience) design, and everything in between.
And, while the tech world has historically excluded people without college degrees, Google’s courses have one unique quality that sets them apart: they don’t require a tech-specific background at all.
These modules are the newest additions to Google’s existing Career Certificate courses in IT Support and IT Automation… which have seen a combined 637,047 students since they launched.
But the best part about these classes is their affordability.
One course costs about $49 per month and takes roughly five months to complete. Google also offers financial assistance for up to 100,000 course programs.
To offer the classes, the company is teaming up with Coursera, the private online learning platform that recently raised $130 million at a $2.5 billion valuation.
Google’s idea here is that a portfolio of real experience can be way more valuable than years of formal education. And they’re standing by their word, too… for related jobs, Google is no longer requiring candidates to have a degree.
Elon Musk himself even said that college is “basically for fun and not for learning.”
Now, I don’t agree with that entirely. College is by no means an obsolete experience, and a degree can be valuable for those who can afford it and those who can get a job in their field.
But that’s just the thing… college is expensive, and a post-graduate job isn’t always guaranteed.
The average cost of a four-year degree is around $122,000, but only 39% of kids actually get out in that time. For 60% of students, it takes six years to get a degree.
This cost is a 400% increase from just 1990… and a 2019 Gallup poll suggests that college just isn’t all it’s cracked up to me.
Only 41% of adults aged 18 to 29 describe college as “very important,” which is a 45% drop from a previous poll in 2013.
And that’s just speaking generally. When you look at the business world specifically, the numbers tell an even more compelling story.
In the United States, 56% of independent business owners do not hold a four-year-degree. That’s across the whole spectrum of age groups and genders, except those 65-year-old and older.
Even tech behemoths like Facebook, Microsoft, and Twitter were founded by people without a completed college degree. These people earned their stripes by hustling hard, taking risks, and building a solid portfolio along the way.
Courses like this mean even more people can break into the tech world without sacrificing hundreds of thousands of dollars for their education.
Instead, they can learn the exact skills they need to create or work for potentially ultra-successful companies – both private and public.
I expect course offerings like Google’s to increase significantly over the coming years as people realize their value. And with that, I expect an influx of creative minds to enter the market, bringing with them even more opportunities to profit.
Really, it’s all about breaking down barriers… and that’s what I’m all about.
Before I sign off today, there’s one more update I want to share…
The Angels & Entrepreneurs team is about to showcase a startup working to solve problems students face every single day. They’re enabling students to avoid a lifetime of college debt by allowing investors to tap into their future success.
The event is happening on Wednesday, September 16. It’s going to be an exciting one, so click here to RSVP right away.
We’ll talk soon.
Until next time,
Neil Patel
P.S. If you’re not following already, make sure you keep up with us on social media for even more content. You can find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. And if you’re already a Network member, you can even join our private Facebook group.
A couple of weeks ago, Google announced that they’ll be launching three “Career Certificate” courses to teach students a gamut of different skills, ranging from data analysis to UX (user experience) design, and everything in between.
And, while the tech world has historically excluded people without college degrees, Google’s courses have one unique quality that sets them apart: they don’t require a tech-specific background at all.
These modules are the newest additions to Google’s existing Career Certificate courses in IT Support and IT Automation… which have seen a combined 637,047 students since they launched.
But the best part about these classes is their affordability.
One course costs about $49 per month and takes roughly five months to complete. Google also offers financial assistance for up to 100,000 course programs.
To offer the classes, the company is teaming up with Coursera, the private online learning platform that recently raised $130 million at a $2.5 billion valuation.
Google’s idea here is that a portfolio of real experience can be way more valuable than years of formal education. And they’re standing by their word, too… for related jobs, Google is no longer requiring candidates to have a degree.
How will this change the tech world?
Outside of Google, some of the world’s other powerful tech giants – like Apple, IBM, and Tesla – no longer require a college degree to get hired.Elon Musk himself even said that college is “basically for fun and not for learning.”
Now, I don’t agree with that entirely. College is by no means an obsolete experience, and a degree can be valuable for those who can afford it and those who can get a job in their field.
But that’s just the thing… college is expensive, and a post-graduate job isn’t always guaranteed.
The average cost of a four-year degree is around $122,000, but only 39% of kids actually get out in that time. For 60% of students, it takes six years to get a degree.
This cost is a 400% increase from just 1990… and a 2019 Gallup poll suggests that college just isn’t all it’s cracked up to me.
Only 41% of adults aged 18 to 29 describe college as “very important,” which is a 45% drop from a previous poll in 2013.
And that’s just speaking generally. When you look at the business world specifically, the numbers tell an even more compelling story.
In the United States, 56% of independent business owners do not hold a four-year-degree. That’s across the whole spectrum of age groups and genders, except those 65-year-old and older.
Even tech behemoths like Facebook, Microsoft, and Twitter were founded by people without a completed college degree. These people earned their stripes by hustling hard, taking risks, and building a solid portfolio along the way.
What does this mean for the future of tech entrepreneurship?
To me, news like this is promising for the startup world, specifically in tech.Courses like this mean even more people can break into the tech world without sacrificing hundreds of thousands of dollars for their education.
Instead, they can learn the exact skills they need to create or work for potentially ultra-successful companies – both private and public.
I expect course offerings like Google’s to increase significantly over the coming years as people realize their value. And with that, I expect an influx of creative minds to enter the market, bringing with them even more opportunities to profit.
Really, it’s all about breaking down barriers… and that’s what I’m all about.
Before I sign off today, there’s one more update I want to share…
The Angels & Entrepreneurs team is about to showcase a startup working to solve problems students face every single day. They’re enabling students to avoid a lifetime of college debt by allowing investors to tap into their future success.
The event is happening on Wednesday, September 16. It’s going to be an exciting one, so click here to RSVP right away.
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| Date: Wednesday, September 16 Time: 11:00 a.m. EST Google Calendar iCal Calendar Outlook Calendar |
We’ll talk soon.
Until next time,
Neil Patel
P.S. If you’re not following already, make sure you keep up with us on social media for even more content. You can find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. And if you’re already a Network member, you can even join our private Facebook group.
Follow @angelsandentrepreneurs
