Coursera, the online learning platform and a pioneer of Massive Open Online Courses, announced a substantial expansion of its on-line professional certificate content today. The expansion includes ten new entry-level certificate programs designed by several new and existing industry partners.
According to the announcement, made in a blog post by Marni Baker Stein, Coursera’s Chief Content Officer, Amazon, Dell, Liberty Mutual, the National Academy of Sports Medicine, and Xbox are launching their first entry-level professional certificates with Coursera. Existing partners Microsoft and IBM have added to their portfolios with four new certificates.
Coursera now offers 80+ entry-level professional certificates related to jobs in areas such as software development, game design, product managment, data analysis, insurance, and artificial intelligence. Nearly half of these certificate programs have been launched in 2024.
The new on-line professional certificates include:
Junior Software Developer from Amazon. A seven-course sequence that covers basic software development skills, including Java programming, data structures, and algorithms. The certificate emphasizes skills in real-world scenarios involving data management and user interface design.
Technical Support Specialist from Dell. Five courses that teach skills for entry-level technical support jobs, including troubleshooting hardware, software, and networking issues. Learners will also understand computer networking, cybersecurity, and customer service.
Data Management from IBM. Ten courses providing a comprehensive curriculum in data management, including data management policies, cloud-based data storage, data visualization, and security.
Insurance Sales Agent from Liberty Mutual Insurance. This four-course series covers insurance industry fundamentals, including risk management strategies and sales processes for client acquisition and long-term relationship management.
Front-End Developer from Microsoft. Six courses focused on front-end development tools to create interactive web applications, with AI integration from Copilot. Learners will complete a portfolio of website and UI designs.
Back-End Developer from Microsoft. An eight-course series providing a foundation in technologies to manage back-end services. Learners will use Copilot to write, test, and optimize server-side code, gaining exposure to advanced debugging and performance tuning.
Full-Stack Developer from Microsoft. Twelve courses that provide training in front and back-end development, along with hands-on experience in integrating cloud technologies and AI services. Learners will build full-stack applications with AI-driven features while using Copilot for coding, debugging, and performance optimization.
Personal Trainer from National Academy of Sports Medicine. Five courses emphasizing practical knowledge in exercise science, program design, and motivational coaching.
Graphic Designer from Xbox. Five courses covering graphic design principles and software, including Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Figma. Learners will be expected to create a portfolio showcasing their graphic and UX/UI design skills.
Product Manager from Xbox. Five courses that will teach basic product management concepts, from initial idea to release, aligning products with business goals and customer needs. The program will also cover market research, product strategy and launch, UX/UI design, and tools like Figma and Adobe XD.
Preregistration for most of the new programs is now open.
Coursera offered it first entry-level professional certificate in partnership with Google in 2018. It now collaborates with more than 30 partners to provide these certificates and claims more than 13 million enrollments in them to date. Of this number, 8 million are STEM enrollments, with 3.3 million enrollments being added in 2024 alone. According to Coursera’s 2023 Learner Outcomes Report, 77% of learners reported career benefits from earning their micro-credentials, and 25% of those completing an entry-level Professional Certificate secured a new job.
Stein wrote, “the World Economic Forum predicts that 60% of the global workforce will need reskilling by 2027.” She added that “as technology reshapes the global labor market, Coursera certificates are designed to prepare learners of all backgrounds for in-demand, entry-level jobs.”