There's a big problem in the world right now. There are hundreds of thousands of IT support jobs just waiting for skilled candidates to fill them. They're available at this very moment and there are companies large and small that really want to hire motivated people. With technology seeping into nearly every aspect of business, that need is growing by the second; but that's just half the story. There are lots of people around the world, like you, who are looking for a flexible way to learn the skills necessary to get that entry level IT support role. There might be a few obstacles in the way. Maybe you don't have a university degree, or the access, or flexibility to take in-person trainings. Or maybe the cost is just too high. Whatever the reason, you're looking for an accessible, hands-on way to learn the skills that companies are hiring for. Google and Coursera are thrilled to welcome you to the IT Support Professional Certificate Program. This program is designed to give you the foundational skills and confidence required for an entry level IT support role, whether that's doing in-person support, or remote support, or both. What's really special about this program is that learners get a hands on experience, through a dynamic mix of labs and other interactive exercises. Just like what you'd encounter in a help desk role. This curriculum is designed to get you job ready. But we're taking it one step further, when you complete this program, you'll have your opportunity to share your information with Google, Bank of America, and other top employers looking to hire entry level IT support professionals. This program has been designed to teach anyone who's interested in learning the foundational skills in IT support. Doesn't matter if you've been tinkering with IT on your own or you're completely new to the field, we'll bring the content developed entirely by Googlers, and you bring the passion and motivation to learn. Here's how we're going to get there, this program is rooted in the belief that a strong foundation and IT support can serve as a launch pad to a meaningful career in IT. And so we've designed industry relevant courses. Technical support fundamentals, computer networking, operating systems, system administration and IT infrastructure services, and IT security. If you dedicate around eight to 10 hours a week to the courses, we anticipate that you'll complete the certificate in about eight months. And learning this stuff won't be like your typical classroom experience. You can move through the material at your own pace, skip content that you might already know, or review the lessons again if you need a refresher. It's a choose your own adventure experience. plus we think that the length is a strong signal to employers that you have the grit and persistence it takes to succeed in an ever-changing field like IT. Another really cool part about this program is that it's been created entirely by real world pros who have a strong background in IT support. They work in IT fields like operations engineering, security, site reliability engineering, and systems administration. They know this content because they live it every day. Along the way, you're going to hear from Googlers with unique backgrounds and perspectives. They'll share how their foundation in IT support served as a jumping off point for their careers. They'll also give you a glimpse into the day to day work along with tips on how to approach IT support interviews. They'll even share personal obstacles that they've overcome in inspiring ways. They're excited to go on this journey with you as you invest in your future by achieving an end of program certificate. Last but not least, we gathered a truly amazing group of course instructors for you to learn from. They've all worked in IT support at Google and are excited to guide you through the content step by step. Ready to meet them? They're all really excited to meet you. My name is Kevin Limehouse, and I'm a support specialist for platforms in DoubleClick. I'm going to present the history of computing in course one. I'm Victor Escobedo, and I'm a corporate operations engineer. We'll meet in the lessons on the Internet in the first course of Technical Support Fundamentals. Then I'll be your instructor for course two, The Bits and Bytes of Computer Networking. Hey. I'm Cindy Quach, and I work in site reliability engineering. I'll be teaching you about operating systems in course one and then take you through a much deeper dive in OS's in course three: Operating Systems and You: Becoming a Power User. My name is Devan Sri-Tharan, and I work in corporate operations engineering at Google. We're going to cover all the hardware and even build a computer in course one. We'll meet again when I teach course four: Systems Administration in IT Infrastructure Services. Hey everyone, my name is Phelan Vendeville and I'm a systems engineer on Google's site reliability team. I'm excited to teach the software lessons to you in course one. Hi, my name is Gian Spicuzza and I'm a program manager in Android Security. I'm going to teach you about the history and the impact of the Internet in course one. And then I'll be your instructor for the last course of this program: IT Security: Defense Against the Digital Dark Arts. Hi, my name is Marti Clark, and I'm a manager with Google's internal IT support team. I'll be teaching you about troubleshooting, customer service and documentation in course one. Hey there. My name is Rob Clifton, and I'm a program manager at Google. I'm going to share a few tips on how to have a successful interview in course one, and present technical interview scenarios at the end of each course throughout this program.
