Gies partners with Google to offer Financial Analysis specialization

In the rapidly growing field of data analytics, learners who possess real, relevant skills will be in a prime position to succeed. Today, there are more than 380,000 open data analytics jobs in the U.S. with a median starting salary of $74,000, and Gies College of Business is taking a bold step to reach and prepare learners for enduring career success in this impactful field.

Gies Business announced it will offer a new educational program in financial analysis to complement Google’s Career Certificate in Data Analytics. Gies’ “Financial Analysis – Skills for Success” specialization, which is designed to complement Google’s Data Analytics Career Certificate, has been curated to help learners develop an analytical mindset in the areas of finance, accounting, and financial statement analysis. Exclusively offered by Gies College of Business, the financial analysis specialization will equip Google Career Certificate graduates with additional skills for well-paying jobs in a growing field.

"We’re proud to expand our partnership with Google, so that together we can provide learners with the knowledge and skills to achieve their personal and professional goals,” said Gies Executive Associate Dean Brooke Elliott. “Understanding how to work with data is a key skill that’s in demand across a variety of industries, so this content can help learners become immediately more prepared, more marketable, and more promotable.”

Leveraging Gies' world-class finance and accounting curricula, the College is offering three interrelated courses that teach fundamental financial analysis skills. Courses include an introduction to finance and accounting fundamentals designed to provide foundational knowledge; a deep dive on financial analysis of organizations, centered on financial statements and how they reflect organizations’ financial position and performance; and an in-depth look at financial analysis used inside organizations, including the organization of financial information, decision and scenario analysis, planning and budgeting, and performance measurement and evaluation; All courses are designed and delivered by six Gies faculty members who, together, bring decades of academic and industry experience. 

To ensure learners are developing job-ready skills, Gies’ new course was also reviewed by Deloitte and Rocket Companies—companies that are a part of the Google Career Certificates employer consortium. The employer consortium includes over 150 companies— including Verizon and Google— that are committed to considering certificate graduates for relevant roles. 

“We’re proud to work with the Gies College of Business to offer a new specialization in Financial Analysis to complement the Google Career Certificates program,” said Lisa Gevelber, Founder, Grow with Google. “This specialization will provide Google Career Certificate graduates with incredible job opportunities, as a financial skillset is in-demand across many different roles and industries.”

Available on Coursera, the Google Career Certificates are in the high-growth fields of data analytics, digital marketing and e-commerce, IT support, project management, and user experience (UX) design. The certificates do not require a degree or experience and can be completed within 3-6 months of part-time study. There are over 100,000 graduates in the U.S. and seventy-five percent of them report a positive career impact within six months, such as a new job, higher pay, or a promotion. Fifty-five percent of graduates identify as Asian, Black, or Latino.