The University of Michigan Center for Academic Innovation and Google are collaborating to offer access to Google Career Certificates and AI Essentials courses at no charge for students registered at all three Michigan campuses: UM-Ann Arbor, UM-Dearborn, and UM-Flint.
Over 66,500 University of Michigan students currently have complimentary access to Google Career Certificates, which have equipped more than one million individuals worldwide with job-ready and sought-after capabilities in fields like cybersecurity, data analysis, digital marketing, UX design, and project management. Additionally, students will gain entry to Google’s AI and Promoting Essentials courses for mastering AI skills.
Formulated and led by Google staff, with feedback from leading employers, each Google Career Certificate comprises challenging assessments of competency. Google’s AI and Prompting Essentials courses cover fundamental AI skills, best practices, and responsible AI usage. These training sessions will enhance the resources already available to U-M faculty and students, such as U-M GPT, Maizey, and Google’s Gemini and NotebookLM.
Interested U-M students must register via Michigan Online using their U-M credentials to take advantage of these opportunities at no cost. This offer is exclusively available for currently enrolled U-M students across its three campuses.
Google Career Certificates are addition to the over 280 open online courses and series developed by U-M faculty in collaboration with the Center for Academic Innovation, as well as thousands of free online courses from other universities—all accessible at no charge to students through Michigan Online.
Google and U-M are frontrunners in both industry and academia, demonstrating their dedication to providing life-altering educational opportunities, remarked James DeVaney, special adviser on academic innovation to U-M’s president, founding executive director of the center, and associate vice provost of academic innovation.
“This collaboration signifies a significant advancement in equipping U-M students to excel in a constantly changing global workforce. A Michigan degree along with supplementary, career-oriented open online courses and Google Career Certificates, available for free via Michigan Online, constitutes an exceptional combination,” DeVaney stated.
Previously, Google and the center collaborated to present a series of open online courses complementing Google’s Data Analytics Certificate. “Data Analytics in the Public Sector with R,” instructed by Chris Brooks, associate professor of information at the School of Information, and Paula Lantz, the James B. Hudak Professor of Health Policy at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, equips participants with practical data analytics expertise pertinent to careers in the public sector.
“Google takes pride in offering our Google Career Certificates as part of our ongoing collaboration with U-M and the Center for Academic Innovation,” said Lisa Gevelber, founder of Grow with Google. “Through this partnership, we’re enhancing our efforts to empower U-M students to enter the workforce with the skills that employers seek and expedite their career prospects.”
The introduction of the certificates and courses to Michigan Online signifies a strengthened commitment to aiding Michigan students statewide.
“This collaboration between Google and the University of Michigan provides our students across all three campuses with access to the essential skills required to succeed in today’s fast-changing economy,” stated Michigan State Sen. John Cherry. “Whether it’s AI, data analytics, or digital marketing, these certificates bridge the gap between academic learning and career opportunities. I’m thrilled for all students at our Flint campus, as well as those at the Ann Arbor and Dearborn campuses, who will continue to drive innovation.”
“Expanding access to in-demand tech training—at no charge—is transformative, particularly for students from communities I represent like Flint,” said Michigan State Rep. Cynthia Neeley. “This initiative levels the playing field and ensures that every U-M student, regardless of their background, can graduate with both a degree and skills recognized by the industry.”
To discover more about the Google Career Certificates and Essentials courses, visit Michigan Online’s Google Career Certificate page.