Frequently asked questions

• What is IT Support?

  Businesses, nonprofits, school systems, and government organizations all rely on technology. Computers break, systems fail, phones die—when that happens, we need experts to fix them. IT support is all about troubleshooting and problem solving when the tech fails, and providing great customer service along the way. This includes setting up computers for users within an organization, overseeing computer systems, and debugging whenever a problem arises. A job in IT can mean in-person or remote help desk work in a range of organizations across many different industries.

• Why start a career in IT?

  With entry-level jobs in IT fetching an average salary of $55,000 per year, this field is extremely lucrative with a high potential for growth. In the U.S., there were over 86,500 open entry-level IT support roles in 2020, and jobs in this field are projected to grow 8% between 2019 and 2029. Faster than the average of all other occupations. Basic IT skills will position you to secure an introductory-level role, and from then on, the opportunities are endless. The stackability of these skills means that after gaining a baseline level of knowledge through the Google IT Support program, it is easy to pick up more advanced skills.

• Why did Google create this program?

  Google has long faced an issue that many other companies also contend with -- we had open IT support roles, and not enough qualified candidates to fill them. So, a few years ago we began working with a nonprofit organization to provide training and pathways to roles in technical support at Google. We learned that not only is IT support a highly teachable field, but that we could teach someone completely new to the industry the IT fundamentals in under six months. So, we decided to build an IT training program on Coursera, created entirely by Googlers who are expert in IT support so this training could be available to everyone.

• Can I get academic credits for taking this program?

  The IT Support Professional Certificate secured a credit recommendation from the American Council on Education’s (ACE) ACE CREDIT®, which is the industry standard for translating workplace learning to college credit. Now, learners can earn a recommendation of 12 college credits for completing the program--the equivalent of four college courses at the associate degree-level. This aims to help open up additional pathways to learners who are interested in higher education, and prepare them for entry-level jobs.

  Certificate completers who also pass the CompTIA A+ certification exams will earn a dual credential from CompTIA and Google.

• Is this program offered in other languages?

  Yes, the program is available in Spanish and Portuguese.

  - Certificado Profesional de Soporte de Tecnologías de la Información de Google

  - Certificado Profissional de Suporte em TI do Google