Remote working is all the rage since the start of the pandemic, and for years before for digital nomads, new graduates, and career-changers and entrepreneurs alike. There is no better time than right now to explore your options and the available micro-credentials. And what better way to get started than with industry-recognized, free online certification programs?
Building on new career development and professional learning initiatives to spread world-class, free information and opportunities, let’s dive right into the free programs from Google and Meta.
Grow with Google: Free Learning Resources and Certification
Google launched their initiative in 2017 and have significantly expanded the initiative with the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thye have industry-leading, free certifications available to provide tools and training for everyone, and they work with many community partners through a Partner Program through their employer consortium program where over 170 companies like Key Medium are part of, and it utilizes Coursera to deliver its learning programs. Let’s jump into the specific Grow With Google certifications available, and how you can set yourself apart in digital marketing.
Grow with Google’s industry-leading certification programs include:
- Data Analytics: average salaries start at $67,900 and there are 337,400 open jobs in the field of data analytics
- IT Support: average salaries start at $50,800 and there are 340,500 open jobs in the field of information technology
- User Experience Design: average salaries start at $58,600 and there are 113,700 open jobs in the field of UX design
- Project Management: average salaries start at $59,000 and there are 475,100 open jobs in the field of IT
In addition, their free resources for entrepreneurs and remote workers alike include:
- Google for Small Businesses: Personalized recommendations to help you grow your business.
- Market Finder: Utilize this tool to discover new markets around the world.
- Google Analytics: Better understand your customers’ behaviors. Google Analytics is useful to utilize as you set website performance metrics in line with marketing and business objectives.
- Business Profile: Get listed on Google and build your website.
- Primer: Improve your business and marketing skills with five-minute lessons.
- Applied Digital Skills: Learn or teach digital basics with a video-based curriculum.
- Grasshopper: A free coding app for beginners.
Meta Blueprint: Meta for Business
Facebook/Meta’s initiative includes free certification, free online courses, and learning programs. They have an employer consortium program where over 180 companies utilize courseara.org to deliver their learning programs.
Let’s jump into the Meta certifications available, and how you can set yourself apart in digital marketing:
- Digital Marketing Associate: average salaries start at $53,000 a year
- Marketing Science Professional: average salaries for Marketing Science Analysts are $70,400 a year
- Creative Strategist Professional: salaries for Creative Strategists range from as high as $362,500 and as low as $71,000
- Media Planning Professional: average salaries for Associate Media Planner are $64,059 a year
- Media Buying Professional: average salaries for Associate Media Buyers are $62,442 a year
- Marketing Developer average salaries for a Development & Marketing Associate is $57,000 a year
- Advanced Marketing Developer: Advanced Marketing Analysts make an estimated base pay of $81,521
- Advertising API Developer: API Programmers make an estimated $61,682 average salary per year
- Community Manager: average salaries for Community Managers are $47,535 a year
- Spark AR Creator: average salaries for Spark AR Developers are $97,549 a year
Where Will Remote Work Take You?
Hopefully, this helps you or someone you know who is looking to level up their skills. For even more, LinkedIn Learning has a TON of free courses as well.
Please do share this with friends, families, and colleagues interested in upskilling to be more competitive in the ever-increasingly competitive job market. You can also explore this short guide on finding a good job and use the CO.CAREERS Good Jobs Board to find your next career opportunity.
Salary sources for Meta include Glassdoor, ZipRecruiter, Indeed. Also published on my blog, Huge Thinking.