One of the main criticisms of higher education today is that universities fail to properly equip students with the real-world skills needed in the workplace, leaving parents in debt for years paying back student loans.

However all that could change with Google's recent announcement today, as the tech giant launched a new program that could potentially disrupt universities and higher education institutions across the world.

The new program, dubbed Google Career Certificates, offers a range of professional courses that teach candidates foundational skills that can help job-seekers immediately find employment. 

However, instead of taking years to finish like a traditional university degree, these courses are designed to be completed in about six months, and will only cost a fraction of traditional university education.

Google also adds that these programs are crafted by their very own employees, and will "equip participants with the essential skills they need to get a job". Candidates will also not require any prior experience or certifications to enrol in the program.

With the pandemic ushering a new normal across the world, more and more employees are starting to realize that their prior qualifications are insufficient for companies today.

The introduction of Google's new program would not only potentially render the need for university degrees less significant, but provide accessibility of quality education to the masses.

"College degrees are out of reach for many Americans, and you shouldn't need a college diploma to have economic security. We need new, accessible job-training solutions--from enhanced vocational programs to online education--to help America recover and rebuild" writes Kent Walker, senior vice president of global affairs at Google.