U.S. businesses can now get up to 500 Google Career Certificate scholarships for free via Coursera, as part of Grow with Google. Google says this is the equivalent of $100,000 in workforce training.

What are Google Career Certificates? Google launched career certificates in 2018 and describes them as “rigorous, online programs with hands-on experience that can be completed as part-time study, 5-10 hours a week for 3-6 months.” 

More than 70,000 people have graduated in the U.S. and 75% reported a positive career impact (e.g., a new job, higher pay, a promotion) within six months of completing certification. Google also noted that 55% of graduates identified as Asian, Black or Latino.

Google offers five professional certificates, including a new one.

New certificate: Google Digital Marketing & E-commerce. If you have employees in need of digital marketing or e-commerce training, this new certificate may be one to explore. 

Here’s Google’s description of the certificate: “Whether your business sells to customers or other businesses, your online presence matters. Employees will learn to attract and engage people online, grow customer loyalty, and build successful e-commerce stores.”

People who train for this certificate will learn how to find customers online, sell products or services and do marketing analytics and measurement. They will also get hands-on experience with digital marketing tools like Canva, Constant Contact, Hootsuite, HubSpot, MailChimp, Shopify, Twitter, Google Ads and Google Analytics. 

Google’s certificate for digital marketing and e-commerce can be used to train employees for roles such as:

• Digital Marketing Specialist
• SEO Analyst
• Paid Search Specialist
• Email Marketing Specialist
• Marketing Coordinator
• E-commerce Specialist

The Google Digital Marketing & E-commerce Certificate was developed by Google, with input from leading e-commerce companies. It is endorsed by the American Advertising Federation (AAF) and the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A’s).

In addition, Google offers these career certificates:

• Google IT Support
• Google Data Analytics 
• Google Project Management 
• Google UX Design 

How to claim your credits. Visit Grow with Google and click on the blue Get started button. At the bottom of the landing page is a form that an administrator (the business owner or an “employee with authority to make decisions regarding supplementary learning for employees in the organization”) will need to fill out.

This offer expires Dec. 18, 2024. Also make sure to read the FAQ for more details on the program.

What Google says about it. “Technology continues to drive economic growth and job opportunities. It’s essential that both job seekers and companies have access to the skills needed to grow an online presence and unlock new areas of economic potential,” said Lisa Gevelber, founder of Grow with Google. “Google is thrilled to help through our Digital Marketing and E-commerce Certificate and our commitment to enable every American business to upskill their employees at no cost.”