Drew University students, alumni and employees can now earn job-ready Google Career Certificates at no cost in more than 15 fields, the Madison campus announced Thursday, Aug. 6.

The program, called the Drew University-Google Certificates Project, covers specializations including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data analytics, project management, UX design and digital marketing. All coursework is online and self-paced. Participants who complete a certificate earn a Google Career Certificate and a LinkedIn badge.

Drew is one of the first colleges in the country to join the Google AI for Education Accelerator, a national initiative pairing universities with Google to build workforce-ready skills and AI fluency. The University of Arizona is another participant, according to GovTech.

"Lifelong learning is essential in a world where technology and the skills employers value continue to evolve," said Kimberly Giorgio, director of Drew's Center for Career Development, in the university's announcement.

The certificates fall into three tiers. Specialization-level options include AI, data analytics with Python, network security, people management and agile essentials, among others. Career-track certificates in data analytics, project management, UX design, cybersecurity, digital marketing and e-commerce, and IT support are designed to prepare learners for entry-level roles. Advanced certificates target technical positions in IT automation with Python, advanced data analytics and business intelligence.

Drew, located one NJ Transit stop from Summit in Madison, enrolls about 2,224 students. The program extends beyond current undergraduates and graduate students to alumni and university employees, broadening the pool of Summit-area residents who can benefit.

As we reported Aug. 5, Drew also recently opened fall registration for its Empty Nester Semester courses. The Google certificate program is a separate initiative run through the Center for Career Development at 36 Madison Ave. in Madison.

Drew has not announced an enrollment deadline. Interested participants can browse available certificates and enroll through the university's program page.