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Is a Google data analytics certificate in college worth it?

I am an upcoming senior majoring with a B.A in public health and needing some advice / opinions on possibly pursuing a Google certificate over the summer. My original plan was to obtain an internship/ volunteer opportunity to build some experience, but I have not at all. Career wise I have been looking into possibly pursuing health administration, environmental health and safety, or even data analytics or program manager positions in the future. But, I really dont know since public health is such a broad field. With all that being said I was wondering if completing a Google certificate in data analytics would be worth it even if I dont end up going into that exact field. My thought process is maybe having that knowledge of data entry could help my resume for other fields. I just want an opinion on whether it is a smart choice or if I should focus my time elsewhere. Thank you!

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Thomas’s Answer

This is a difficult question to answer, as it depends on a lot of factors specific to your situation. In general, however, a Google data analytics certificate can be a great way to improve your resume and make yourself more marketable to potential employers. Earning such a certificate can demonstrate your commitment to learning and staying up-to-date on the latest software and techniques. Additionally, it may give you an edge over other candidates who don't have similar certifications. Google courses are quite quick to work through, and have no deadlines, so completing one while you are still in school is pretty convenient.

By the way, I have a few friends who work at Google, and one of them said that they are a valuable extra "commodity" when deciding if someone should get a first interview or not. Google claims that they are viewed as the equivalent of a four year degree, but I'm not sure if this is entirely true.
Thank you comment icon Thomas, thank you! Christina
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Najneen’s Answer

It's definitely worth pursuing - one of the primary reasons being that Data Analytics is a huge and growing space for careers currently. The skills that you learn in a Data Analytics course such as the Google Data Analytics certificate can broadly be applied to a lot of different fields - not just public health. So, overall, it would be a very useful and marketable certificate.
Google and Google Cloud are also gaining a lot of momentum in the Data Analytics space with Looker, Bigquery and Datastudio for instance. So, any knowledge that you gain from Google can only help as you think about your future career/roles.
If you're also looking to apply to Masters/Graduate Programs in the public health or related spaces or even in any other space, such certificates in your application/resume will only help.
Thank you comment icon Thank you, Najneen for the advice. Christina
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Jason’s Answer

Completing a Google certificate in data analytics is worth the effort even if you do not end up going into the data analytics field. You will learn fundamental skills in data analytics along with functional experience with specific data analytics software. Public Health is a field that is ripe with data and there is a great need of organizations in that field for professionals with data analytics skills. Business knowledge and domain expertise is key to developing in your career fields listed, but a differentiator you can leverage would be specialized skills in data analytics. The Google certificate you listed can start you down the path to specializing in data analytics if you so choose. If it ends with just the Google certificate in data analytics you would have gained fundamental knowledge of data analytics that is transferrable and can show your interest in that area.
Thank you comment icon Thanks for your encouragement! Christina
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Ghazi’s Answer

Hello Christina, this is a great question. I think that it would be a great idea for you to take the course if you are interested in Data Analytics. You will learn essential fundamental skills and work with software that many professionals in the industry use. These types of certs are becoming more widely recognized/appreciated throughout the industry. I have networked with individuals who landed career roles based solely off the skills they have learned through the course. It could never hurt to gain extra skills in your work tool belt and on your resume. I say go for it if you have a serious interest in Data Analytics. Alternately, you could take some of the free courses that are offered on Udacity to get a feel for the kind of content you might find in a program like this before committing. There are many free courses (although they might not offer certificates) that would help you get a good understanding of what you would be getting yourself into. Best of luck to you!
Thank you comment icon Thank you so much for the help! Christina
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