Education
BY DAVE MANNING
Through a partnership with Google, Houston Community College offers a free accelerated ver- sion of Google’s “Grow with Google” technology certificate program for up to 500 students. HCC officials have reached out to local public school districts in southwest Houston to share HCC, Google partner to offer free technology certificates over four-year university graduates due to their amount of practical experience in the field, solving problems as part of the curriculum, rather than programs more focused on theoretical knowledge. “In four months, you’re going to get an indus- try credential that puts you in the workplace, ... gives you a skill to get a job,” Fleishman said. “They can get a credential, they can make money. They can get another credential, they can make more money.” Explained HCC is able to offer the Google certificate 1 Google Data Analytics 2 Google Cybersecurity
Google courses The four Google courses are hosted on the education platform www.coursera.org and are as follows:
3 Google IT Support 4 Google UX Design
information about the program with administrators, said Joe Fleishman, associate dean of the Digital & Information Technology Center of Excellence, which works with the Workforce and Career depart- ment on the program in its Southwest College. The program was announced in February, and 350 spots were open as of late March for the late-April course to local high school students, continuing education students and working professionals, Fleishman said. Who it’s for Fleishman said when a local internet technol- ogy company owner visited the college, he said he prefers to hire community college students
SOURCE: HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE/COMMUNITY IMPACT
What’s next The program is available for students 16 and older as part of Houston Community College’s continuing education program. Once HCC is able to fill the 500 course spots the college will receive 500 more spots from Google this fall. The Southwest College, one of six in the system, offers programs at the Galleria, Brays Oaks, Stafford and Missouri City campuses.
program for free, thanks to its partnership with the company. However, each course is valued at $300 per course. The four courses give students the opportunity to earn in-demand IT certifications and skills in a short time frame, Fleishman said. HCC’s version of the Google courses are self-paced like Google’s offering, but HCC’s courses can be completed in four months rather than six.
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