Why Google’s New Cybersecurity Certificate Matters
Recently, Google launched their Google Cybersecurity Professional Certificate, a certificate training program designed to take an…
Recently, Google launched their Google Cybersecurity Professional Certificate, a certificate training program designed to take an individual with no technical experience and help prepare them for an entry-level role in cybersecurity in six months or less. Delivered through their formal partnership with Coursera, learning materials are made available for free (auditing the class, as it’s called, which would not grant you the certificate), or full course access and completion is available at a subscription cost of $49 USD/month (after the initial 7-day free trial).
Offerings like this are extremely vital to breaking down barriers to entry for cybersecurity! These barriers exist for people looking to find entry-level roles, for individuals interested in switching careers, or for students looking to augment grade school or university studies. Such courses are not a silver bullet for addressing the cybersecurity jobs gap, but they help.
Google does not mislead potential learners in what their offering will lead to, mind you. They do not claim to take you from Level 0-to-CISO in six months, since that wouldn’t be reasonable for any mortal. What they do claim is to be able to sufficiently prepare someone for an entry-level role, regardless of experience level, within a six-month timeframe. That is quite the challenge and I think Google has championed the task quite well.
Why six months…?
I get it, I was wondering the same thing.
This timeframe comes from Google’s own estimated time of completion, should a learner work on their course for 10 hours or less per week. With those numbers, they estimate that completing the course would take you six months of part-time effort, costing you $300 USD in total if you pay $49/month. I advise that you take these “hours” estimates with a grain of salt, at least until you have a taste for the course and can gauge the speed in which you’ll be able to tackle the material.
My take: Most students and/or career switchers I’ve known are particularly hungry and ambitious, so 10 hours of work per week is the least amount of time a motivated individual may put towards the certificate. If you have days off of work/weekends, you could easily devote 10+ hours of dedicated study to the course, keeping in mind their coursework completion estimates factor in time that you may or may not need. You’d be surprised how much you could accomplish with a focused hour of study each day!
What Coursera may designate as one, two, or three weeks of material is achievable and digestible within a few sittings. Trust me, I’ve done it! And that was without pulling all-nighters or anything crazy.
Knocking out this coursework in less than six months, while still taking in material appropriately (and, most importantly, maintaining your sanity), is 100% doable.
Why is it important, though?
I think in my last blog I kept asking myself questions as writing prompts, so I’ll just keep riding that wave here, too…
The world of tech is awash with certifications of every shape and size, with everyone from the major tech giants (Google included) to startups offering their own certifications, training certificates (training certificates are not the same as a formal certification, FYI — these are akin to what you may receive at the end of a Udemy or LinkedIn Learning course), and their own courses which relate to their own certifications.
Each one of these certifications have training materials that cost money, often in the form of colossal books and/or web-based labs, plus the cost of attempting the certification exam itself. Many, many companies are also designed around offering full blown training courses, based entirely around certifications, which cost upwards of several thousand dollars. For some of the most basic of certifications, like CompTIA A+ or CompTIA Security+, which are expected for many entry-level IT jobs,
one CompTIA exam attempt alone costs more than if you took six months’ time to study Google’s Cybersecurity Professional Certificate!
Here again, in my opinion, I think many learners would be able to complete the course in less time than that. Imagine how much you would be able to accomplish as a learner through the guided curriculum and perhaps supplementing with other quality materials over six months of study. There’s a slew of high quality books and materials covering Python, security fundamentals, pen testing, etc. with which to supplement your learning, too.
Please note: Certifications, like CompTIA and Cisco, are still very much in demand. I will always recommend that you only invest in a specific certification path if the job you’re aiming for requires it (e.g. the U.S. federal government, cloud security, risk management, the list goes on). The choice for how you invest your money and time will always be yours, but make that investment wisely!
Here, Google only requires that you complete the required training material, which includes many, many quizzes, hands-on activities, and end-of-segment/course exams. If you sufficiently pass each module within each course, then congrats! You have earned the Google Cybersecurity Professional Certificate.
The Curriculum is Important
Aside from cost alone, what Google covers is wonderful and on point. Starting with the basics, they guide you through concepts that gradually become more advanced and toss professional portfolio material into the mix as well.
Most Coursera certificates rely on you completing not just one course but a bundle of related courses aimed at a certain learning objective. Google’s Cybersecurity Certificate is no different as you will be expected to complete 8 courses in all. Here are the courses, in learning order:
Foundations of Cybersecurity
Play It Safe: Manage Security Risks
Connect and Protect: Networks and Network Security
Tools of the Trade: Linux and SQL
Assets, Threats, and Vulnerabilities
Sound the Alarm: Detection and Response
Automate Cybersecurity Tasks with Python
Put It to Work: Prepare for Cybersecurity Jobs
I think Google does a fantastic job of introducing people to a variety of security roles and letting people know that there are a variety of roles/ways to enter the security field.
Keep in mind that each and every course contains several glossaries of key terms and external links to outside, supplemental materials. The first course alone introduces you to resources like the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and Risk Management Framework, as well as closely related topics like data privacy, which are important for any security professional to know.
Remember how I mentioned CompTIA’s exam costs above? Well, Google claims that their coursework will simultaneously prepare students for the CompTIA Security+ exam! Students that complete the certificate will be eligible for a 30% discount on the Security+ exam, which I think is a wonderful side benefit to the curriculum. Good job, Google team.
[Insert high-five here. Or fist bump. I’m cool with either one.]
CISSP Domain Integration
Google has incorporated a certification into the mix that has been omnipresent in the security world for quite some time now: the CISSP.[pause for dramatic effect]
Created by (ISC)² in 1994, the CISSP is arguably the preeminent security certification across the corporate world and is quite common for mid-level, senior, or management level security professionals within large security departments. The CISSP’s material is split across eight different domains and security pros must have at least 5 years of experience, prior to passing the exam, in order to become a fully certified CISSP (provisional status is granted to folks who pass the exam but don’t yet have the experience).
The integration of CISSP domains into the curriculum is super cool, I think, because right away the student is thinking of something other than entry-level material, whether know so or not. If they are truly entering this course with no prior experience, they are being exposed to certification material that carries a lot of weight on one’s resume down the road and may give them a goal post to set for themselves. Students are passively exposed to long-term goals by virtue of having their curriculum already aligned with CISSP domains. Awesome.
Real Stories from Real People
Sprinkled throughout the courses are small nuggets of wisdom from actual Google security personnel who come from all manner of backgrounds, technical and not.
They share 1–2 minute stories, related to the topic at hand, from their own personal experience. One specific cloud security architect (a career changer herself — woot, woot!) had a beautiful example of responsible security ethics in the workplace. How cool is it that they sought to bring ethics early into the conversation? Kudos on that move, Google.
They openly share anecdotes from their work lives. They describe events from their careers, security related or non-security related. They give encouragement to those who think security may not be for them.
People transitioning into tech and young students need to know that they will be working with all kinds of different people, from all kinds of walks of life, perhaps from all around the world. I think Google does a solid job of bringing in both a variety of roles and a variety of workplace representation, which allows for compelling stories and may broaden the perspectives of some learners.
Additionally, people need to see that career changers also find their way into big companies like Google and find success. The folks who share within the course videos come from all walks of life and humbly tell of how they had no idea they would be working in the field, or at the company, they are today.
Career changers need positive examples like this so that they may see how much is possible and that success is within their grasp.
Complete the Certificate — Get Introduced to Employers
Students that complete the program have the option to present their resume to the Google Career Certificates Employer Consortium. As Google says,
“The consortium includes more than 150 employers including American Express, Colgate-Palmolive, Mandiant (now part of Google Cloud), T-Mobile, Walmart and Google. Members of the Employer Consortium consider those who have earned our Certificates for entry-level jobs.”
Super cool, right? That alone is reason enough to complete the certificate. All of these companies have competitive talent pools, I’m certain, but having a direct line to submit your achievement and resume is worth the shot, I say. Plus, career preparation is part of last course segment in the series.
What I find even more exciting is that these major companies, as part of the consortium, are letting Google know what they need from entry-level cybersecurity pros.
Think about it. A company as influential as Google will naturally be able to partner with companies on a scale that few others can, so when I look at this curriculum I think it’s an honest reflection of what an employer could expect from an entry-level professional in the security arena.
Another Reason Why This Cybersecurity Certificate Matters
Google’s course offering, in a field ripe with job opportunities that also offers the promise of financial reward via high salaries and benefits, breaks down barriers to entry, like I said before.
High quality, accessible education for all - matters.
My path to career change started because I found high quality coursework from Harvard via Edx.org, where Harvard and now many other institutions make their course content available for free. Their introductory computer science course, CS50 (massively popular now as a MOOC), changed my life. Even though I didn’t pay for the full course I still listened to the lectures and did the exercises on my own before deciding to enroll in school again full-time.
While I am still a proponent of a well-rounded education whenever possible, the reality is that not everyone can afford the time demands or the financial burden involved with going back to school.
Google’s cybersecurity certificate offers an affordable pathway for people who want to learn about security to do so without sacrificing quality of instruction, without sacrificing too much of their time, and then giving them a verifiable credential at the end of the process.
All you need is a computer with a basic network connection and you’re good to go!
Any group that makes high quality content this accessible, while also working to connect learners with potential employers, will continue to garner my support.