USM partners with Google to offer career certificates, AI courses

The University System of Maryland is partnering with Google to offer free Google Career Certificates and AI courses to students.

The University of Maryland is one of the university system’s 12 public universities and two regional higher education centers to be provided these resources beginning this fall, according to a news release on June 17.

The certificates are offered in fields such as data analytics, project management and cybersecurity, the release read.

The microcredentials can help amplify and expand the knowledge and skills students gain through their degree programs, said Nancy O’Neill, the executive director of the university system’s Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation.

She added it may be useful for students to become certified in subjects unrelated to their major to gain experience in multiple fields of study.

Teams at each university will be responsible for deploying the certificates and courses at the campus level, O’Neill said. At this university, the extended studies office is working with the Artificial Intelligence Interdisciplinary Institute at Maryland to plan the distribution.

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The university system expressed a special interest in bringing the microcredentials and AI courses to active military, veterans and military families, according to the release. O’Neill said the university system has supported this population for a long time and believes emphasizing them within the partnership will continue this support.

Google’s AI courses offer training on how to prompt AI and how to use it to improve education and save time.

A Coursera study cited in the news release stated 75 percent of a global sample of employers would hire a less experienced candidate with a GenAI credential over someone more experienced without one.

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“Our goal is to lower the barrier to AI education — equipping more students, regardless of major background, with the tools they need to thrive in an increasing AI driven world,” said Matthew Nessan, the programs, marketing and communications director in this university’s extended studies office.

Nessan said integrating more AI into higher education will help enhance learning for students, not replace it.

“The project advances our goal to be Maryland’s number one source for reskilling and upskilling the state’s workforce,” said university system chancellor Jay Perman at a university system Board of Regents meeting on June 13.