It has trained 600 000 Australians in digital skills since 2014 and plans to train way more

The company launched its Career Certificates programme in Australia yesterday, courses in “high-growth” technology areas, via Coursera. “Not only have there been changes in the skills Australians need, but the way we learn has changed too,” Google’s Mel Silva says.

She cites Australia Post, Woolworths, Canva, Optus and IAG, as recognising recognise the certificates and “interested”  in hiring completers.

Industry and Science Minister Ed Husic was at the launch, welcoming the programme as meeting a need;

“People are getting employed with no degree. No need for a degree. In the tech sector people are being called up. You’ve seen some firms develop, particularly Australian digital firms, develop their own apprenticeship programs because they couldn’t wait. The education system and largely government leadership was not there to reshape the way that skills were developed.”

There’s a bunch of endorsements from tech gentry for the programme but no word of HE or VET people at the launch. Perhaps they were busy or perhaps it did not occur to Google to invite any.