In a bid to help expand the cybersecurity workforce and fill the skills gap, Google is launching a new Cybersecurity Certificate as a new addition to the Google Career Certificate program designed to help job seekers transition to the technology industry.
According to Google, the Cybersecurity Certificate is designed and taught by the company’s cybersecurity experts and is designed to prepare learners for entry-level cybersecurity jobs in less than six months.
No cybersecurity experience is required, as the company’s goal is to fill the growing number of open cybersecurity jobs and help people make the transition to cybersecurity from other fields.
By some metrics, the U.S. alone is short about 700,000 cybersecurity professionals, which is alarming given that the frequency and sophistication of cyberattacks continues to increase.
Google’s Cybersecurity Certificate program
According to Google, the cybersecurity program builds on the company’s existing Career Certificates in other technology fields, such as data analytics, digital marketing and e-commerce, IT support, project management and user experience design.
The program will teach learners how to identity common risks, threats and vulnerabilities, as well as the techniques and tools used to mitigate them. Learners will get hands-on experience with industry-standard tools, such as Python, Linux and an array of security tools like security information and event management (SIEM) platforms.
Google’s Cybersecurity Certificate program will also help prepare job seekers for the CompTIA Security+ exam, which the company calls “the industry-leading certification for cybersecurity roles.” Learners will earn a dual credential upon completing both, the company says.
Partnerships with leading companies, universities
Google’s nonprofit grantees that help promote diversity in tech will also be offering the Cybersecurity Certificate and provide learners with additional support such as coaching, interview pre and job placement assistance.
In order to validate the effectiveness of its certification program, Google in 2018 launched the Google Career Certificates Employer Consortium that includes more than 150 employers, such as American Express, Mandiant, T-Mobile, Walmart, and Google itself. The company leaned on the consortium to beta test the content in the Cybersecurity Certificate program.
Education institutions such as Purdue University, the University of Texas System, Syracuse University and Northern Virginia Community College will offer the Cybersecurity Certificate to their students.
Employers that would like to hire the company’s Certificate graduates or use the Certificate for reskilling their employees can join Google’s employer consortium.
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