Google Cloud is offering free training for data analytics, AI, machine learning and multi-cloud services, which include routes to foundational certificates, the company has announced.
Budding learners can access all of these through a set of 'skills challenges' which give participants greater knowledge of each subject and a chance to earn a Google skill badge to prove their competency.
While not as expansive as last year's pledge by AWS to offer free cloud training to 29 million people around the world, it does provide significant access and insight into some of the most popular cloud services in use today.
Participants will have 30 days of free access to Google Cloud Labs to work their way through four skill challenges: 'Getting Started', 'Data Analytics', Hybrid and Multi-cloud' and finally 'Machine learning and Artificial Intelligence'.
Each skill badge is a foundational certificate, which requires participants to complete a series of hands-on labs and a final assessment. The Getting Started course also requires the learner to demonstrate core infrastructure skills, including how to write cloud shell commands, deploy a virtual machine, and run applications on Kubernetes.
The Data Analytics course is for more experienced participants to expand their skills into AI and machine learning with a chance to demonstrate an understanding of BigQuery. They can learn how to do everything from writing and troubleshooting SQL queries and using Apps Script, to building classification and forecasting models.
The Hybrid and Multi-cloud course is for more advanced learners ready to showcase their skills in managing containers with Google Kubernetes Engine and Anthos. Here they can also test their skills in security by deploying and managing production environments with Google Kubernetes Engine.
The final course, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence, is for data scientists and machine learning engineers ready to prove their skills with BigQuery, Cloud Speech API, AI Platform, and Cloud Vision API.
All learners can register for an introductory webinar to Google Cloud, which will include a walk-through of the skill tracks and a tour of the labs.
