HANCEVILLE, Ala. – Wallace State Community College’s Computer Science program is offering the newly-created Google IT Support Professional Certificate.
Through a grant from Jobs for the Future (JFF), Wallace State students can earn the specialized online certificate, preparing them for an entry-level job in information technology support – one of the fastest growing jobs in the United States.
“The Google program is a great opportunity for learners who are interested in information technology. It provides a great foundation and builds skills needed to fulfill a high-demand, high-wage job,” said Wallace State computer science instructor Gregory Knight. “We’ve included the courses in our full-degree plan or students can complete those specific classes.”
The five required courses for the certificate cover important IT components, including troubleshooting, customer services, networking, system administration, security and operating systems. The courses are hosted by the Coursera online learning platform.
Joshua Apodaca, 31, completed the Google IT Support Professional Certificate this semester, as he pursues an associate degree in cyber-infused networking technology. Apodaca is currently employed as an operations technician for Mazda-Toyota Manufacturing in Huntsville.
“It’s a fantastic program, and I appreciate my instructors encouraging me to complete it. Once I finish my degree, one of my goals is to transfer into the IT Department at Mazda-Toyota, and I hope having the Google IT Certificate on my resume will speak volumes and give me a competitive advantage,” Apodaca said.
Through the JFF grant, the IT Support Professional Certificate is available to community college students in 16 states, including at Wallace State. According to Burning Glass Data in 2018, there were 215,000 unfilled IT support jobs in the U.S, and the median wage for computer user specialists is $54,760 according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
For more information about enrolling in the Google IT Support Professional Certificate at Wallace State, contact Knight at 256-352-8158 or by email at gregory.knight@wallacestate.edu.
Visit www.grow.google/itcert to learn more about the certificate.
Registration is underway at Wallace State for the spring 2021 semester. Spring classes begin Tuesday, Jan. 19. Register at www.wallacestate.edu/register-now.
For more information about Wallace State, visit www.wallacestate.edu.
