Google has launched a new online training certificate program to help students and job seekers learn Python, the most in-demand computer programming language. 

The certificate program, named Google IT Automation with Python Professional Certificate, is available through the online course facilitator Coursera. Although it’s not free, Google.org is granting 2,500 need-based scholarships with the aid of Goodwill, Merit America, Upwardly Global and several other nonprofits.

According to Google, those who complete the program will be considered for IT jobs at many of the world’s leading companies, including Walmart, Hulu and Sprint. 

Currently, more than 530,000 U.S. jobs, including 75,000 entry-level jobs require Python proficiency, according to Google. And those who take this certificate program can expect to learn Python, Git and IT automation within just six months. 

In total, the program consists of six courses, including an introductory crash course, a course showing how to manipulate files and processes on a computer’s operating system, a course introducing Git and GitHub, a course showing troubleshooting and debugging techniques, a course teaching about configuration management and the cloud, and a final course on automating real-world tasks. 

The announcement of this new program comes two years after Google launched its original certificate program, Google IT Support Professional Certificate, which has already received more than 100,000 enrollments. The initial program greatly helped many aspiring IT professionals jumpstart their careers, according to Google. 

Yves Cooper is one of those people. He took the course while working as a van driver in Washington D.C. And within five days of completing it, he was offered a position as an IT helpdesk technician. 

“All over the world, people like Yves are using this program to change their lives,” Google states in its news release. “In fact, 84 percent of people who take the program report a career impact — like getting a raise, finding a new job, or starting a business — within six months.”

And among the people who enrolled in the original IT certificate program, 60 percent identify as black, Latino, female or veteran, which are all demographics known for being underrepresented in the tech industry. 

In October 2019, Google announced that its Google IT Support Professional Certificate program will expand to 100 U.S. community colleges by the end of 2020. 

Due to gaps in employment, job seekers everywhere have started utilizing online education opportunities. Typically much cheaper than a college degree, online certificate programs offered through Coursera, edX, Udemy and other sites can lead to rewarding and often high-paying positions. 

These online education opportunities are also very valuable to college students, especially those in their third or fourth year who don’t have time to change their major.