UVA Partners With Google to Help Working Adults Finish Their Degrees

October 29, 2021
Illustration with three circles with a hand on the keyboard and two triangles in the middle of the image. Top triangle has 1's and 0's the bottom triangle has html code

Graphic by Ziniu Chen, University Communications

The University of Virginia’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies today announced a partnership with Google to help working adults who complete a Google Career Certificate to finish their four-year degrees. 

Starting today, anyone who has completed one of the Google Career Certificates is eligible for a $5,000 scholarship to finish their degree through the University’s online, part-time degree completion programs designed for working adults: the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies and Bachelor of Professional Studies in Health Sciences Management. The scholarships will be available beginning for students accepted for the fall 2022 semester.

By 2025, The World Economic Forum estimates that 50% of all employees will need reskilling, in part due to demand for technical skills. As a result, the Google Career Certificates help people gain job-ready skills with programs in Data Analytics, IT Support, Project Management and User Experience Design – all fields projected to grow over the next 10 years. The partnership aims to help job-seekers navigate a shifting labor market by equipping them with in-demand skills and a path toward a four-year degree. 

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In addition to preparing workers with job-ready skills, the certificate program includes an employer consortium of more than 150 companies – including Deloitte, Infosys, Verizon, Walmart, Wayfair and Google – that consider graduates for related roles.  

“This partnership will help working adults who want to build on the practical skills they’ve learned through Google’s curriculum earn a degree from the University of Virginia,” said Alex Hernandez, dean of UVA’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies and the University’s vice provost of online learning. “Our bachelor’s programs prime graduates with the deeper skills needed for leadership and long-term career success.”

“We are thrilled to partner with the University of Virginia’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies to help people continue their education,” said Lisa Gevelber, the founder of Grow with Google. “Through this partnership, more workers will have the opportunity to apply the skills gained in the Career Certificate program to a degree program that will help them increase their economic potential.” 

The Google Career Certificates are available virtually on Coursera and at regional community colleges – including Blue Ridge Community College – as well as the non-profit organizations Upwardly Global and Goodwill Industries Roanoke. To date, Grow with Google has partnered with 210-plus organizations in the state – including public libraries, chambers of commerce, and more – to train more than 50,000 Virginians on digital skills.

Google Career Certificates are designed and taught by Google employees, and can be completed within three to six months. No degree or experience is required to enroll. Interested individuals can sign up at grow.google/certificates, and they can learn more about UVA’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies at scps.virginia.edu. 

Media Contacts

Rob Seal

Director of Marketing and Communications School of Continuing and Professional Studies

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