GOOGLE TO LAUNCH IT SUPPORT CERTIFICATE PROGRAM TO PREPARE THOUSANDS OF AMERICANS FOR TECH JOBS

Google has developed a first-of-its-kind IT Support Professional Certificate on Coursera that will help more Americans get the training they need to enter the tech field.

Demand for IT support jobs is increasing. Jobs in this field are projected to grow 10% between 2016 and 2026 -- faster than the average of all other occupations. The median annual wage for computer user support specialists was $52,160 in May 2016.

The IT Support Professional Certificate includesindustry-relevant content, hands-on labs and widgets developed by Googlers who work in IT, to take learners to job readiness in 8 to 12 months. The program will create a direct path for jobs for thousands of Americans.

Google will provide need-based scholarships and financial assistance to 10,000 learners. As part of this commitment, Google.org is backing a number of leading nonprofit organizations to ensure that underrepresented communities, including low-income learners (Year Up, Per Scholas, Goodwill®); veterans (Student Veterans of America); and refugees (Upwardly Global) have supported free access to the program.

Additionally, full financial assistance will be available through the Coursera sign up page for learners who qualify. The program will also connect graduates with potential employers including Bank of America, Walmart, Sprint, GE Digital, PNC Bank, Infosys, TEKSystems, UPMC, and Google.

Enrollment for the IT Support Professional Certificate program opens on January 16th and programming starts on January 23rd.

For more information, visit https://www.coursera.org/specializations/google-it-support