Everything you need to know about the Google IT Support Professional Certificate

Over the last 50 years, a crucial new support specialist role has emerged within the fast-growing field of technology: the IT support professional. And the job outlook for IT support professionals is exceptional. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is projecting about 75,000 new computer support specialist jobs each year through 2031. Additionally, in its Best Jobs rankings, U.S. News & World Report ranked computer support specialists as #10 in the Best Technology Jobs category and #15 in the Highest-Paying Jobs Without a Degree category.

If you're interested in working as an IT support professional in the tech industry, you've probably discovered that most computer jobs require a bachelor's degree, which usually costs a lot of time and money. The good news is that the Google IT Support Professional Certificate can turn years into months and tens of thousands of dollars into just a few hundred.

Without the need for prior experience, the Google IT Support Professional Certificate opens the door for you and opens it quickly. And since it covers the same ground as CompTIA A+, another valuable certification, you can use what you've learned to get that too. Learn more about the Google IT Support Certificate to decide if it's right for you and your career.

How much does the Google IT Support Professional Certificate cost?

The purpose of the Google IT Support Professional Certificate is to prepare you for an entry-level IT support specialist job. You earn the certificate by enrolling in the Google IT Support Professional Certificate course through Coursera. Coursera is an online learning platform that smoothly and efficiently offers degrees and certifications from distinguished universities and companies. Your entry into the technology industry will be in good hands with Coursera.

Like most Google professional certifications, the Google IT Support Professional Certificate cost is low, both in terms of your time and money. You pay $39 per month for as long as it takes you to earn your certificate. How many months that takes is up to you. It's probably not logistically feasible to finish the five certification courses faster than four months, and it seems to take most people about six months. You can take longer if you need to, but if you can pass the courses in six months, your total cost will be less than $300.

What kind of positions can the Google IT Support Professional Certificate lead to?

One of the wonderful things about being a computer support specialist is that your skills will fit into almost any growing, successful industry, such as transportation, architecture, media, education, government, marketing, and manufacturing, just to name a few. Any organization with networked computers will need certified IT support professionals, which gives those with the Google IT Support Professional Certificate a great amount of flexibility in the kinds of industries they want to work in and jobs they can pursue.

"Most computer jobs require a bachelor's degree, which usually costs a lot of time and money. The good news is that the Google IT Support Professional Certificate can turn years into months and tens of thousands of dollars into just a few hundred."

What does the Google IT Support Professional Certificate entail?

There's a lot to learn about IT support, but the Google IT Support Professional Certificate allows you to take it one step at a time. This means you can learn at your own pace or at the pace your busy life allows. As with learning any large compilation of knowledge, you'll begin with the basics and then build on that strong foundation, mastering the first course before moving on to the next. The total learning for the certificate is divided into five logical courses.

You take online classes to complete the five courses needed to earn your Google IT Support Professional Certificate. Each class involves watching video presentations, reading written material, taking part in hands-on labs, and passing between 22 and 35 quizzes. If you have trouble with a quiz, you can retake it immediately or review the material beforehand.

What will the Google IT Support Professional Certificate teach me?

Each of the five courses of the Google IT Support Professional Certificate is carefully designed to prepare you for the next course, and ultimately, when you've reached the end, you'll be ready to interview for real-world IT support specialist jobs. Here's a breakdown of everything each of the five courses will teach you:

Course 1: Technical Support Fundamentals

It's estimated that the first course of the Google IT Support Professional Certificate will take about 21 hours to cover. This initial course explains the fundamental concepts of IT and computer support. The specific topics covered include:

Binary systems
Computer assembly
OS installation
Internet basics
App creation and OS integration overview
Problem-solving methods
Soft skills needed in an IT setting

Course 2: The Bits and Bytes of Computer Networking

The second course for your certificate takes an estimated 27 hours to cover. This course introduces you to the world of computer networking and provides an overview of the cloud, network applications and protocols, and network troubleshooting. The specific topics include:

The five-layer model of computer networks
TCP/IP communications protocols
Network troubleshooting tools and techniques
Cloud computing and storage

Course 3: Operating Systems and You: Becoming a Power User

The third course of the Google IT Support Professional Certificate takes an estimated 33 hours to complete. In this course, you learn about operating system (OS) components and how to configure hardware and manage users and groups. The specific topics covered are:

Windows and Linux filesystems using user interfaces and command lines
Account access permissions for users and groups
OS software installation, configuration, and removal of Windows and Linux
Disk partitions and filesystems
Managing system processes
Remote connection tools and system logs
Troubleshooting at an IT Support Specialist level

Course 4: System Administration and IT Infrastructure Services

It's estimated that the fourth course will take 26 hours to cover. The intensity ramps up in this course as you move from mastering a single computer to making a large group of computers work together in harmony. The specific topics covered include:

Organization-wide hardware, vendor, and service choices
How infrastructure services work and how to manage infrastructure servers
Leveraging the Cloud for a large organization
Managing computers and users with directory services, Active Directory, and OpenLDAP
Tool choice and management for organizations
Data backup and IT infrastructure recovery
Planning and improving IT processes through systems administration

Course 5: IT Security: Defense Against the Digital Dark Arts

The fifth course of the Google IT Support Professional Certificate takes around 31 hours to cover. This final course teaches you about the importance of IT security, including concepts, tools, best practices, and network security solutions. The specific topics covered are as follows:

The benefits and limitations of encryption algorithms and techniques
Authentication systems and types
Authentication versus authorization
Risk evaluation and reduction
Practices for securing a network
How to teach security concepts to users

The Google IT Support Professional Certificate is substantial, which is why it's held in high regard by hiring managers across the industry, and it can help you get your start in this growing field without a huge investment of your time and money. Once you've completed the course and added your Google IT Support Professional Certification to your resume, create a profile on CareerBuilder to start looking at the best IT support jobs out there. Let us help you get started on an amazing and successful tech career.