In my short guide on how to get a Data Center Technician role I suggested individuals look into getting the CompTIA A+ Certification. It’s a popular and widely-accepted certification by various employers. However, that certification is getting more and more expensive as the years go by. So what’s a good alternative? Google IT Support Certificate. And I’m not saying that because I’m a Google employee. I wanted to know first-hand if this certificate is good for those seeking an entry-level IT role so I took the course on Coursera and completed it.
Let’s Review The Details About The Google IT Support Certificate
The Certificate’s Objective
Per its website, the Google IT Support Certificate is for those are new to IT, or individuals with IT experience who want to upgrade their skill-set. However, for this post I will focus on the first category.
The certificate’s main focus is to provide beginners a solid foundation in the following:
- Computer hardware knowledge
- Computer networking knowledge
- Troubleshooting skills
- Knowledge about operating systems
- Information about IT Security and System Administration
This foundation prepares certificate holders to apply for jobs like IT Support and System Administration.
The Certificate’s Training Method
The certificate uses videos hosted on Coursera, allowing students to learn at their own pace. Thus, students can learn the material no matter where they located as along as they have an Internet connection.
In addition, there are hands-on activities students needs to accomplish to not only proceed in the coursework, but to actually understand what they learned.
Finally, there are assessments students must pass to proceed through the course. There is a limited on the number of times a person can fail each assessment in a 24-hour period. Then students have to wait a period of time before trying again. I really do like how when I got a question wrong I got a tip on which video to rewatch so I could discover the correct answer.
The Certificate’s Cost
Unlike the Comptia A+ certification, the Google IT Support Certificate doesn’t have a fixed cost for the exam. It falls under Coursera’s monthly subscription service of $49 a month. So how much would a student spend to get the certificate?
The website states if students devotes 10 hour per week toward the coursework they will complete the course in 6 months. Thus, they will spend $294 USD in total. In comparison with the A+ Certification requires two exams each costing $253 USD. That’s only the cost of the exam. The study material is not free.
The Google IT Support Certificate can be less than $294 if students devote more hours per week to watching the video content and taking the assessments. So this option can save students more money.
The Certificate’s Major Benefit Over A+ Certification
The certificate does have one major benefit over the A+ Certification: Access to 150+ employers! That’s through CareerCircle, which provides “free 1-on-1 coaching, interview and career support, and a job board to connect directly with employers, including over 150 companies in the Google Career Certificates Employer Consortium.”
The companies within this group includes several from the Fortune 500 list:
- Adobe
- Dell Technologies
- Salesforce
- Ford Motor
- Target
- Verizon
Having the ability to connect to these employers, along with many others, sets up the students for success. They can possibly get a role that will lead to a long career in IT, along with a good salary and benefits. And that’s why I suggest the Google IT Support Certificate.