Expanding digital skills: Google Switzerland enables new continuing education offerings

During the Corona crisis, demands for digital skills by employers have become louder, as more and more jobs require sound digital skills and know-how. The targeted qualification and further training of the workforce represent decisive factors for a future-oriented, sustainably resilient Swiss economy, as the Avenir-Suisse study "Further training, but in a targeted manner - answers to structural change in the labor market" from April of this year. Demand for workers in high-growth industries where successful digitization is essential is expected to continue to rise in the future.

Need for new skills

For these reasons, Google launches the training offer in Switzerland Google Career Certificates. In cooperation with local partners, such as the Regional Placement Centers (RAV) of the Office for Economy and Labor of the Canton of Zurich (AWA Zurich) and the Impact Hub Switzerlandand the non-profit organizations INCO Academy and Jobs4refugees, free access to Google's IT-related online courses will be distributed to applicants in Switzerland selected by the partners. "We are launching this additional offer for certified professional qualifications with a clear goal: to further strengthen Switzerland on the global labor market and as an IT location," says Patrick Warnking, Country Director of Google Switzerland.

Edgar Spieler, Head of Labor Market at the Office for Economy and Labor of the Canton of Zurich, adds: "Promoting digital skills, new forms of learning and lifelong learning are also key objectives for the RAV. In Google, we have found a strong, innovative partner who supports us in this and strengthens the opportunities of our job seekers in the labor market." Luzia Schuler, Managing Director Programs & Partnerships at Impact Hub Zurich, is also positive about Google's commitment as a partner: "The Google Scholarships for Coursera enable entrepreneurs from our network throughout Switzerland to receive targeted digital training. We would particularly like to give participants who work in the sustainability sector, as well as people from marginalized groups or those who benefit from a career change, access to this interesting offer. Especially for people without a tech background, the courses are an interesting opportunity for professional development - not least against the backdrop of the current pandemic - and without fixed schedules and attendance requirements."

Teaching digital skills online

The online courses are designed to help participants acquire the necessary professional skills in the four high-demand areas of IT support, project management, data analysis, and UX design. The courses are available via the learning platform Coursera.org available online and are completed in self-study. No university education or relevant work experience is required. Upon successful completion of the course, which can be achieved in less than 6 months, the participant receives a course certificate that can be shared on LinkedIn or listed on a resume and other relevant documents.

Through the partners Impact Hub Switzerland and AWA-RAV, several hundred Google scholarships are to be awarded to applicants in Switzerland, thus providing assistance with professional reorientation or retraining. The aim is to strengthen individual profiles and increase their chances on the labor market by providing them with in-depth skills in the course focus areas. Further Google.org scholarships are also available through the non-profit organizations INCO Academy and Jobs4refugees awarded to people who have more difficult access to education and the labor market.

The course offerings at a glance

• IT Support - This course introduces the field of IT in general. Graduates of the course will acquire knowledge of various aspects of IT, including the basics of modern network technologies and protocols, the use of the most common operating systems or systems management.
• Project Management - The course focuses on the fundamentals of traditional project management, but also introduces agile project management, as innovative techniques originated in software development and are now used in a variety of industries and functions.
• Data Analysis - The course aims to teach the skills of effective data analysis. Data analysts know how to ask questions correctly, prepare and analyze data in order to make concrete recommendations based on this information. Graduates of the course develop their skills in using various data analysis tools and platforms through hands-on assignments and projects.
• UX Design - UX designers focus on user interaction with products such as websites, applications, and physical objects. Graduates of the course learn about the world of UX design through hands-on exercises developed by Google.

Source: Google Switzerland