Enrollment opens this week for the University of Nebraska鈥檚 new partnership to offer Google Career Certificates in a variety of fields.

Beginning Wednesday, June 19, NU students, alumni and Nebraskans at large can begin to for a variety of self-paced, noncredit courses. Interim NU President Chris Kabourek said that since announcing the in April, with little marketing, more than 1,000 people had already .

Melissa Lee, NU鈥檚 chief communication officer, said 1,247 people had registered as of Friday. Of those registrants, 20% are current NU students and 40% are alumni, meaning hundreds of Nebraskans who might have no connections to NU are interested in more education.

鈥淚 just think it solidifies what we thought, that Nebraskans are yearning for more skill sets and more education,鈥� Kabourek told the Nebraska Examiner.

An email last week to pre-registrants the week of June 10 from Ana Lopez Shalla, lead for NU鈥檚 microcredentials, offered to completing the minicourses. She wrote that registrants were 鈥渉elping to drive impact not only in your own career, but in our regional workforce, too.鈥�

The Google Career Certificates will be offered in three cycles in the next year, with 2,500 seats available for each session. They begin in August, December and April. Enrollment will be open through July 31; courses in the first session will begin the next day.

In April, NU announced a special first-year rate of $20 per enrollment.

Kabourek said at the time that the partnership is designed for opportunities, not revenue, and that funds would be used to cover costs and any associated technological needs.

will be offered:

• Cybersecurity
• IT support
• Data analytics
• Digital marketing and e-commerce
• Project management
• User experience (UX) design
• IT automation with python.Advanced data analytics
• Business intelligence.

Kabourek, who will return to his sole role as NU鈥檚 chief financial officer come July 1, said one of his priorities as interim president has been to help the university reconnect with Nebraskans, which will include getting out to visit high schools in the fall.

As a rural Nebraskan from David City, Kabourek said, he knows every Nebraskan can find a place within NU.

鈥淲e never want your ability to go get your education or develop your skill sets or enhance your resume to be limited by your family situation or your location,鈥� Kabourek said.

is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Nebraska Examiner maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Cate Folsom for questions: info@nebraskaexaminer.com. Follow Nebraska Examiner on and .

LINCOLN 鈥� The University of Nebraska and Google are entering a new partnership designed to further Nebraskans鈥� education and support state workforce needs.

Interim NU President Chris Kabourek announced Tuesday that the university will soon offer in a variety of fields. is open now on a first-come, first-served basis and will begin with the 2024-25 academic year. Three cycles will be offered 鈥� in August, December and April 鈥� with 2,500 seats available in each.

Kabourek said 鈥渋t鈥檚 a win鈥� when more education is brought directly to Nebraskans and students.

鈥淎s a native of rural Nebraska myself, I believe strongly that every Nebraskan should have access to quality, affordable educational opportunities no matter where they live or what their personal circumstances are,鈥� Kabourek said in a statement.

The goal of the partnership is to provide opportunity, not make money, Kabourek added in a text. NU will retain all revenue raised through enrollment in the certificates, which will cover administrative costs and any associated technological needs.

Learn at their own pace

Google experts teach the programs, which are vetted by leading employers. NU students, alumni and Nebraska residents can get a special first-year rate of $20 per enrollment.

Students learn at their own pace over three to six months of part-time study in multiple courses:

• Cybersecurity
• IT support
• Data analytics
• Digital marketing and e-commerce
• Project management
• User experience (UX) design

Advanced certifications are also available, tailored for learners with multiple years of experience or as a next step after completing an entry-level certificate:

• IT automation with python
• Advanced data analytics
• Business intelligence

U.S. Rep. Mike Flood, R-Neb., endorsed the partnership as providing affordable access to education and as 鈥測et another pathway for Nebraskans to pursue their dreams and expand their career horizons.鈥� He said he looks forward to seeing the positive impact it will have.

鈥淒eveloping Nebraskans to take the jobs of the future is one of the cornerstones of growing Nebraska鈥檚 economy,鈥� Flood said in a statement.

A 2023 report from the American Association of Colleges and Universities found that employers are generally in strong support of these 鈥渕icrocredentials.鈥� In the report, two-thirds said they would prefer college graduates with microcredentials for entry-level positions.

More than 250,000 people in the United States have earned a Google certificate, 75% of whom had a positive career impact, such as a new job, promotion or raise, according to Google.

鈥淲e鈥檙e committed to investing in Nebraskans to ensure that they have the tech and other job ready skills to enter the workforce and reach their full economic potential,鈥� said Lisa Gevelber, founder of Grow with Google.

More postsecondary credentials

Kabourek said the new partnership advances a 2022 legislative goal, which NU supported, to increase the percentage of Nebraskans with postsecondary credentials by 2030 to 70%.

State Sen. Lynne Walz of Fremont, who was then chair of the Legislature鈥檚 Education Committee, shepherded the 2022 and through the Legislature .

Tim Jares, dean of the University of Nebraska at Kearney鈥檚 College of Business and Technology, described the new partnership as 鈥渢errific鈥� and said it adds to the work faculty are doing to support students and alumni 鈥渁mplify their marketability.鈥�

鈥淔rom our perspective, the more opportunities for education we provide, the better,鈥� Jares said. 鈥淚鈥檓 proud that the University of Nebraska is playing a leadership role in creating access for Nebraskans and growing a skilled workforce for our state.鈥�

Other leading U.S. institutions already offer career certificates, including Syracuse University, the University of Texas system and two fellow Big Ten members 鈥� the University of California-Los Angeles and Rutgers.

is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Nebraska Examiner maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Cate Folsom for questions: info@nebraskaexaminer.com. Follow Nebraska Examiner on and .