Growing With Google: Islanders Gain Free Access to Industry Certifications

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – When Nicholas Thompson ’27 opened an email from the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Career and Professional Development Center in June, he wasn’t expecting to find a career launchpad. The Austin native, a junior studying environmental science, had been looking for a way to strengthen his job readiness skills and what he found was an invitation to chart a new course — through a free Grow with Google certification.

“A lot of people have degrees and minors,” Thompson said. “What distinguishes you are the little things — certifications, licenses, and getting published. That’s what employers notice.”

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi joined the Grow with Google pilot program in spring 2025, alongside other campuses in the Texas A&M University System. Each university receives 500 licenses at a time, which function like library books — once one person completes a certificate, the seat can be reassigned to someone else. Over time, this rotation could benefit thousands of Islanders.

Through Grow with Google, the tech company designs career-ready training in high-demand fields like cybersecurity and project management. The courses are delivered via Coursera’s user-friendly platform, where learners watch videos, complete assignments, and track their progress. The program provides access to 11 professional certifications, some requiring eight to 10 hours to complete, while others demand more than 150 hours of study. Students, faculty, and staff may all participate, though the program’s primary focus is on preparing students for the workforce.

“These are very pricey certifications if taken on their own,” said Dr. Leslie Mills, TAMU-CC Associate Vice President for Student Success. “Because they’re free, students can leave here with not only a degree but also an industry-recognized credential that helps them stand out.”

Mills said the goal is to enhance Islanders’ marketability. A criminal justice student, for example, could complete a cybersecurity certification to complement their degree, while a liberal arts major might add project management or digital marketing to their résumé. The courses, she added, do not require prior expertise in the field — making them accessible even to beginners.

“It’s an extra layer of professionalism and knowledge,” Mills said. “And as our faculty begin embedding these certifications into their courses, it ensures students are learning the most current skills in the field.”

In the initial rollout in spring, Grow with Google courses were available to faculty and staff, with student access opening in summer 2025. One of the first Islanders to test the waters was Dr. Joshua Watson, TAMU-CC Dean of the College of Education and Human Development. He enrolled in the AI Essentials course, an eight-hour introduction to artificial intelligence concepts and applications.

“I thought it was a great opportunity to get a better grasp on an emerging topic,” Watson said. “It wasn’t just mindless tasks to get a credential. It was applied skills. I could take what I was learning and apply it directly to my field. That personalized approach made it meaningful.”

Watson sees potential for embedding certifications into coursework at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Shorter certificates might serve as assignments, while longer ones could be encouraged as independent projects with long-term professional payoff.

“The flexibility is what makes it exciting,” Watson said.

The TAMU-CC College of Business is also looking at long-term possibilities, such as offering certificates as part of capstone experiences or as electives that cross traditional degree boundaries. This, Mills said, would help students in every major navigate an increasingly credential-driven job market.

“Employers are seeking evidence of both knowledge and adaptability,” Mills said. “These certifications show that a student can learn independently, apply skills, and keep pace with change.”

For Thompson, the program arrived at just the right time. After securing an internship the previous summer, he found himself without one in 2025. Looking for a productive way to spend the months before his junior year, he signed up for the Grow with Google Project Management certification.

“I went into it without many expectations,” he said. “I thought, at minimum, it would look good on my résumé. But I actually really enjoyed it, and it gave me new skills.”

Both Mills and Watson emphasize that the value of these certifications goes beyond a line on a résumé. They provide hands-on skills, exposure to emerging technologies and industries, and a mindset of lifelong learning.

The university plans to continue encouraging participation, with more faculty embedding modules into their courses and more students exploring certificates which complement their studies.

“This is about preparing our students to leave here ready for what’s next,” Mills said. “It’s another way we’re giving them the tools to succeed.”

Islanders can learn more about Grow with Google on the web or by emailing leslie.mills@tamucc.edu. Participants can be enrolled in multiple certificates at the same time.