Earlier this month, Commonwealth University announced the launch of a partnership with Google for a public-private partnership enabling our students to earn industry-recognized certificates during their regular undergraduate degree programs. The program will prepare students for careers in the fields of cybersecurity, data analytics, digital marketing/e-commerce, business intelligence, IT support, project management, and user experience (UX) design.
Partnerships like this continue our foundational mission to expand the opportunities available to both our students and the people in the communities our campuses call home. Inaccessibility to education often stands as a barrier for individuals looking to upskill and reskill and earn relevant credentials that today’s employers need. I am pleased that this program will address the critical access issue in a way that offers real-world skills in the most relevant and rapidly growing fields.
Google developed its Google Career Certificates specifically for in-demand fields. Numerous Pennsylvania-based companies are part of Google’s employer consortium, including Bayer, CMI Media Group, SAP, Expedient, and The Project Management Institute. Other employer consortium members include Deloitte, Walmart, Verizon, and, of course, Google. All provide input into the skills and competencies their employees need, and those are incorporated into the training.
Most university students work to pay for their education while in college. These credentials help students start jobs while still in school. The training can be offered through workforce development on a non-credit basis. Certificate programs offer more options and opportunities to earn skills and acquire education. Earning certificates can help people enter high-growth jobs and continue earning more advanced credentials or enroll in the university to pursue associate and bachelor’s degrees. When paired with a degree, certificates add value and often increase entry-level salaries.
So far in the U.S., more than 200,000 people have graduated from Google’s program. Of those, the vast majority have reported a positive career impact such as higher pay, a promotion, or a new job. Earning certificates in high-demand fields adds value to a degree. A study done in 2022 by Strada Outcomes Survey showed that history majors who acquire data analysis skills increase their entry-level salary by 38%. Sociology majors who acquire UX/UI design skills increase their entry-level salary by 32%.
These results are why we are so eager to provide this opportunity to our students. By embracing a student-first mentality and collaborating with employers to bring initiatives like the Google partnership to Commonwealth University, we’re positioning our students for success in a rapidly evolving economic landscape.
In addition to the Google Career Certificates, Commonwealth University is pursuing many other workforce development initiatives across the region. We have teamed up with Thrive International and UPMC to offer free courses in English as a Second Language (ESL) at our Lock Haven location. Removing the language barrier is the first step that unlocks the promise of education for many students, as it did for me. This leads to employment and enables degrees. Our evening classes are reaching some 50 area students. In the spring, Commonwealth U students in our ESL certificate program will volunteer as part of their field experience.
We have partnered with Career and Technology Centers across the region to form 15 articulation agreements for career and educational pathways into Commonwealth U’s Criminal Justice and Early Childhood Education programs. This fall we are welcoming new students in these two areas. With the success of this program, we are working toward additional pathways in business. Over the past year, our Public Safety Training Institute has grown the total number of training and contact hours by more than 70%.
I am excited about the work taking place in Workforce Development and what it means for our students and our communities. When we work together to find opportunities and entry points to education that make learning accessible, we improve the lives of those around us and help to ensure a more vibrant living, learning, and working environment.