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The regulation of Big Tech has become a hot topic in the United States and Europe, fuelled by a growing public outcry against what many see as the increasingly commercial use of personal data by the giants of Silicon Valley.
But amid the movement to reign in Big Tech, many of the industry’s leading players have begun to roll out a public good – in the form of free or steeply discounted courses on various innovative online education platforms – that may underscore the positive role that large tech companies can play in society.
With the help of these platforms, big tech companies are helping people train for and land high-paying tech jobs without a college degree, while creating a pool of potential talents to sustain their own growth – a win-win proposition for all. As education increasingly moves online in the wake of COVID-19, these platforms have the potential to become a serious competitor to traditional education programmes by offering flexible training in the most in-demand skills at a fraction of the cost.
Google: Coursera programmes replace 4-year degrees
Google has launched three new online certificate programmes in data analytics, project management and user experience design through the online learning platform Coursera. The programmes are designed and taught by Google employees and can be completed in under half a year. Notably, Google said it will consider its certificates as the equivalent of a four-year college degree when evaluating certificate holders for potential employment at the company, which is quite a bargain given their $49/month price tag. And for those who receive one of Google’s 100,000 need-based scholarships, the programme will be free.
Yandex: a refund-backed employment bootcamp
Career advancement is the central goal of a new online “job-landing bootcamp” offered by the Russian technology giant Yandex. The NASDAQ-listed company’s U.S. project, called Practicum by Yandex, offers tracks in web development, data science and data analysis, with a free 20-hour introductory course to each profession. The platform is part of Yandex’s ambitious initiative to train 100,000 IT specialists by 2022, in addition to the more than 1 million people who have already studied through its educational projects in Russia. But Practicum, which is based in Boston, stands out for its availability in English, focus on soft and technical skills, as well as the promise of a refund if participants try but fail to get a new job or a promotion within six months of graduation.
The proliferation of tech education in Russia – the birthplace of Google co-founder Sergey Brin – may help explain why the country topped Coursera’s 2020 Global Skills Index in the categories of Technology and Data Science. Russia was deemed “cutting-edge” in these fields, based on Coursera’s analysis of 65 million learners across 60 countries. By contrast, the United States was named “emerging” in Technology, but is seen as a competitive market for online education. Yandex Practicum is a unique example of an international company bringing its top-notch technology expertise to train — or “upskill” — students in the United States who wish to pursue a career in tech.
Ozon: e-commerce pioneer promotes skills for the digital future
Another education platform comes from the leading Russian e-commerce player Ozon – often referred to as “Russia’s Amazon” – which offers six programmes on digital skills for schoolchildren through advanced learners. The Ozon Education platform unites the Ozon Academy for students ages 5-17, the Ozon Masters programme in data science and business intelligence for young professionals, the Ozon Go programming course, and the New Skills online courses for continuing learners. In addition, the company’s E-Commerce Online School offers specialised training in software development and marketplace operations. Since it pioneered e-commerce in Russia in 1998, Ozon has seen massive growth, which was further accelerated by the coronavirus pandemic. The company is now investing into the training of future techies as online retail increasingly gains a foothold in the country.
Tinkoff: investment prep from a top fintech player
Tech companies in the financial sector have also introduced their own educational offerings. Tinkoff, a digital financial and lifestyle ecosystem that serves more than 11 million customers across Russia, recently launched a free course for beginning investors through its online media platform Tinkoff Journal. The aim of the 10-lesson programme is to give newbies a foundation for smart and responsible investing, and help them put together their first portfolio – a service that is also conveniently available through Tinkoff’s award-winning online brokerage app. Tinkoff’s investment course came just in time for a boom in first-time retail investing in Russia amid the coronavirus pandemic, with Tinkoff emerging as the country’s leading broker for retail investors by number of active brokerage accounts.
SEMrush: digital marketing for the modern age
Elsewhere, in Boston, the online visibility and marketing analytics platform SEMrush has embarked on a mission to help train a new generation of experts in digital marketing. The company’s SEMrush Academy offers nearly 30 free online courses on such topics as search engine optimization, pay per click, social media marketing, content marketing and market research. SEMrush, which boasts eBay, Quora and HP among its clients, has already trained more than 300,000 students since the launch of the Academy, making it the largest education platform in the digital marketing industry.
The rise of affordable online learning programmes offered by Big Tech and other digitally-oriented companies responds to a growing need for more flexible and accessible skill development tools as the world increasingly moves online. From programming to digital marketing to personal finances, these platforms are helping individuals to develop the career and lifestyle skills that meet the quickly-changing market demands of the new economy. As large tech companies lead the way in offering industry-focused education programmes, they are creating a sustainable base for a thriving industry in the digital 21st century and in the new post-COVID-19 world.