In recent times, Google published a post where it announced to the world that it will be offering a six-month crash course providing individuals the opportunity to gain the necessary skills required to acquire a job which are in-demand. The course is available at a meager rate of as low as $300 which is quite astonishing as compared to higher education expenses. In my opinion, here’s one of the most efficient steps taken by Google so far.
Checkout the history of some of the most successful people in the world. You will realize that half of the successful entrepreneurs were college dropouts. There are people in the world like Jack Ma who started out their career from a very low point. Yet, they found themselves growing at an immense pace and became the captain of their own ship. Though a bit late then the rest of the crowd, they somehow managed to achieve what they sought out for. Who could’ve thought a little Chinese dude would someday own one of the largest e-commerce hubs called, “Ali Baba” right?
It made us all wonder what did Jack Ma do to get that amazing breakthrough? And a bit of exploration helped me find out that answer. He broke the very traditional norms which the society fed us all.
Today, Google is doing the same
As we all know how Apple upended the cellphone industry, the music industry, headphone industry and now, in fact, the spectacle industry by the year 2021. Google has decided to do something similar by taking up by filling the gap of the higher-education and changing the entire monopoly.
But is it really the right move?
It is replacing the entire process for a student to take up a grad school and spend 4 years in completing a bachelor’s degree. Based on the scores, these students would apply across a number of universities and would finally get a call for a job interview. If they are lucky enough, they may secure one. With Google on its heels, it is aiming to assassinate two birds with just a single stone.
Firstly, they are investing in developing people the way they believe will fit best in their industry. Secondly, they are taking the traditional methods of education out of the equation.
Will this work? Let’s take a deeper delve.
Google’s Effort to Start It’s own Diploma Program
Back in July, when Coronavirus was on its verge, Google’s senior vice president for global affairs and chief legal officer sent out a tweet on Twitter explaining how Google was expanding its educational programs. As Kent Walker wrote in one of his Google blogs,
“College degrees are out of reach for many Americans, and you shouldn’t need a college diploma to have economic security, we need new, accessible job-training solutions—from enhanced vocational programs to online education—to help America recover and rebuild.”
The idea behind Kent Walker’s approach was simple. To help the American economy to overcome the growing financial gap. During the COVID-19 outbreak, technology has been the lifeline for many individuals. But is the average American literate enough to make the best use of technology and make things work during the growing pandemic? And this is where Google steps in.
Although, higher education in America is a very stable industry that stands at a market capital of $600 billion dollars. Yet, Google’s recent approach does send out ringing bells for the education system.
Because,
Necessity is the Mother of All Needs
Since the global coronavirus outbreak, parents are unable to attend jobs. Whereas, at the same time, children are also staying at home and are unable to attend school. Right now, there’s a lethal outbreak which is claiming many lives. And at times as such, surviving has become a bit challenging for the middle class. As it is commonly phrased that necessity is the mother of all needs! We are living in a time where computer qualifications and digital skills have become more rewarding then Mathematics or History. With platforms such as Udemy and Skillshare, gaining digital skills have become quite easy. Google here is filling up that gap by providing easy computer qualification at a reasonable price. This will make students digitally adept so they can run a side income and afford the necessary living.
But Disrupting Higher Education Worthwhile?
Like we all know, entrepreneurship is no child’s play. It takes a lot of courage and consistent effort to become something in the world. No Steve Jobs, Bill Gates or Mark Zuckerberg could’ve ever become a successful entrepreneur, unless they didn’t strive for what they believed. They turned it into a reality.
But claiming that this happened just because they dropped out of college isn’t the best of statements. That’s because Steve Jobs, Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg were one in a billion. It’s not necessary that if you do want to become a successful entrepreneur then you must give up on the basics of education. Technology may have made things easy and today, people might be running a million-dollar business from the comforts of their home, but to reach that level, they initially worked hard to get there. They went to normal schools and built up their mental aptitude by going through the basics of education. Now imagine, if you want to calculate something, and you are missing out on the basic knowledge of doing that? Not an interesting thought, is it? It’s why higher education is necessary.
Can Google’s Certification Replace the Higher Education Industry?
In my opinion, Google certification can help get you through to a certain extent and may even equip you with a computer qualification. But in the long run, it won’t be as rewarding because people will eventually fail to produce anything of worth. Their mental capability to deliver quality will get suppressed. Certain education practices help the mind think in different directions. Without higher education, a person’s mind will feel mentally incapacitated. If the fortune favors the brave, only then a certification such as the one Google’s offering will favor the individual.
So no, Google can never replace the higher education industry.
What do you feel about Google’s newest development in replacing higher education? Let us know.