YW Tech Lab
What is YW Tech Lab?
As part of YWCA Allentown’s ongoing mission to eliminate racism and empower women, the YW Tech Lab program provides FREE education in digital skills to members of groups that have been historically underrepresented in technology fields, such as women and people of color, and vulnerable populations, such as those who are unemployed, recent high school or GED graduates, returning or non-traditional students, and low-wage workers. YWCA Allentown couples this programming with referrals for supportive services and job coaching to ensure each participant’s success.
All classes are FREE, virtual, and can be completed at your pace and on your schedule. All culminate in a professional certification by Google.
YW Tech Lab is part of a national partnership with Google.org and YWCA USA.
YWCA Allentown offers Google Professional Certification courses in:
IT Support Enrolling Now!
Data Analytics Enrolling Now!
Project Management Enrolling Now!
UX Design Enrolling Now!
IT Automation with Python Enrolling Now!
Digital Marketing & E-commerce Enrolling Now!
New! Cyber Security Enrolling Now!
New! Advanced Data Analytics (Prerequisite: Data Analytics Certificate or equivalent experience) Enrolling Now!
New! Business Intelligence (Prerequisite: Data Analytics Certificate or equivalent experience) Enrolling Now!
We are now accepting applications for the Fall session, which begins on September 15, 2025. Applications for this session will be accepted until August 1, 2025.
Program Details
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Google IT Support Professional Certificate
This is your path to a career in IT. In this program, you’ll learn in-demand skills that will have you job-ready in less than 6 months. No degree or experience required.
Your skills will include:
Network protocols, cloud computing, Windows operating system, Linux command line, systems administration, encryption algorithms and techniques, and more.
75% of Google Career Certificate Graduates in the United States report an improvement in their career trajectory (e.g. new job or career, promotion or raise) within 6 months of certificate completion.
This program also prepares you for the CompTIA A+ exams, the industry standard certification for IT—you’ll earn a dual credential when you complete both. This program is ACE® approved—when you complete, you can earn up to 12 college credits, the equivalent of 4 associate degree-level courses. When you complete all of the courses in the program, you'll earn a Certificate to share with your professional network as well as unlock access to career support resources to help you kickstart your new career.
This certification consists of 5 courses and can be completed in 6 months or less with a commitment of 10 hours per week.
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Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate
This is your path to a career in data analytics. In this program, you’ll learn in-demand skills that will have you job-ready in less than 6 months. No degree or experience required.
Gain an immersive understanding of the practices and processes used by a junior or associate data analyst in their day-to-day job. You will learn key analytical skills (data cleaning, analysis, & visualization) and tools (spreadsheets, SQL, R programming, Tableau). Understand how to clean and organize data for analysis, and complete analysis and calculations using spreadsheets, SQL and R programming. Learn how to visualize and present data findings in dashboards, presentations and commonly used visualization platforms.
There are 380,000 U.S. job openings in data analytics with a $74,000 median entry-level salary. You will receive job search resources through this Google platform to find employment with your certificate.
This certification consists of 8 courses and can be completed in 6 months or less by dedicating 10 hours a week.
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Google Project Management Professional Certificate
Start your path to a career in project management. In this program, you’ll learn in-demand skills that will have you job-ready in less than six months. No degree or experience is required.
Prepare for a new career in the high-growth field of project management, no experience or degree required. Get professional training designed by Google and get on the fast track to a competitively paid job. There are 479,000 U.S. job openings in project management with a $73,000 median entry-level salary.
Project managers are natural problem-solvers. They set the plan and guide teammates, and manage changes, risks, and stakeholders.
Skills you’ll gain will include:
Creating risk management plans; Understanding process improvement techniques; Managing escalations, team dynamics, and stakeholders; Creating budgets and navigating procurement; Utilizing project management software, tools, and templates; Practicing Agile project management, with an emphasis on Scrum.
This certification consists of 6 courses and can be completed in 6 months or less by dedicating 10 hours a week.
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Google UX Design Professional Certificate
User experience (UX) designers focus on the interaction that users have with products, like websites, apps, and physical objects. They make those everyday interactions useful, enjoyable, and accessible. You will create designs on paper and in digital design tools like Figma and Adobe XD.
By the end of the certificate program, you will have a professional UX portfolio that includes three end-to-end projects, so that you’re ready to apply for jobs.
Upon completion, you can directly apply for jobs with Google and over 150 U.S. employers, including Walmart, Best Buy, and Astreya.
This certification consists of 7 courses. You can complete this certification in less than 6 months if you dedicate 10 hours a week.
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Google IT Automation with Python Professional Certificate
This beginner-level, six-course certificate, developed by Google, is designed to provide IT professionals with in-demand skills -- including Python, Git, and IT automation -- that can help you advance your career.
Knowing how to write code to solve problems and automate solutions is a crucial skill for anybody in IT. Python, in particular, is now the most in-demand programming language by employers. This program builds on your IT foundations to help you take your career to the next level. It’s designed to teach you how to program with Python and how to use Python to automate common system administration tasks. You'll also learn to use Git and GitHub, troubleshoot and debug complex problems, and apply automation at scale by using configuration management and the Cloud.
This certificate is designed to prepare you for a variety of roles in IT, like more advanced IT Support Specialist or Junior Systems Administrator positions. Upon completion, you can share your information with potential employers, like Walmart, Sprint, Hulu, Bank of America, Google, and more.
This certificate consists of 6 courses and can be completed in 6 months with a time commitment of 10 hours per week.
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Google Digital Marketing & E-commerce Professional Certificate
Throughout this program, you will gain in-demand skills that prepare you for an entry-level job and learn how to use tools and platforms like Canva, Constant Contact, Google Ads, Google Analytics, Hootsuite, HubSpot, Mailchimp, Shopify, and Twitter.
You will learn from subject-matter experts at Google and have a chance to build your own portfolio with projects like customer personas and social media calendars to show to potential employers.
75% of Google Career Certificate graduates in the US report seeing a positive impact on their career within six months.
Skills you’ll gain will include: Developing digital marketing and e-commerce strategies; attracting and engaging customers through digital marketing channels like search and email; measuring marketing analytics and sharing insights; building e-commerce stores, analyzing e-commerce performance, and building customer loyalty.
Platforms and tools, you will learn include: Canva, Constant Contact, Google Ads, Google Analytics, Hootsuite, HubSpot, Mailchimp, Shopify, and Twitter.
This certification consists of 7 courses. This certification can be completed within a 6-month period with 10 hours of work per week.
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Google Cyber Security Professional Certificate
This fully online program provides the skills you need for an entry-level job in cybersecurity, even if you don't have prior experience. You'll use industry standard tools like Python, Linux, SQL, Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) tools, and Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS).
You'll learn about:
Programming for cybersecurity tasks
Frameworks and controls that inform security operations
Using security information and event management (SIEM) tools for cybersecurity
Detecting and responding to incidents using an intrusion detection system
Performing packet capture and analysis
Cybersecurity analysts are responsible for monitoring and protecting networks, devices, people, and data. They use a collection of methods and technologies to safeguard against outside threats and unauthorized access — and to create and implement solutions should a threat get through. Jobs in cybersecurity include:
Cybersecurity analyst
Security analyst
SOC analyst
Information security analyst
IT security analyst
Cyber defense analyst
This certification consists of 8 courses. This certification can be completed within 3-6 months with 10 hours of work per week.
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Advanced Data Analytics Certificate
**Advanced Level** Open to those who have completed the Google Data Analytics Certificate or have relevant education or work experience.
Advanced data analysts and data scientists are responsible for collecting, analyzing, and interpreting extremely large amounts of data.
You'll learn about
Regression analysis
Python
Translating data
Statistics
Machine learning
The Advanced Data Analytics
Certification prepares you for such jobs as:
Senior data analyst
Junior data scientist
Data science analyst
This certification can be completed within 3-6 months with 10 hours of work per week.
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Business Intelligence Certificate
**Advanced Level** Open to those who have completed the Google Data Analytics Certificate or have relevant education or work experience.
Business intelligence professionals help organizations collect, structure, interpret, and report on business data to help stakeholders make informed decisions.
You'll learn about:
Business intelligence analysis
Data modeling
ETL process
Dashboards and reporting
Engaging with stakeholders about data findings
This certification will prepare you for jobs such as:
Business intelligence analyst
Business intelligence engineer
Business intelligence developer
This certification can be completed within 1-2 months with 10 hours of work per week.
Are You Eligible?
YW Tech Lab is open to all with preferred enrollment opportunities for women, people of color, those who have not completed a bachelor’s degree, and those who receive a referral through a partner agency. Participants must have a high school diploma or equivalent (or be enrolled in a program that will result in a high school diploma or equivalent before completing the Certificate) and be interested in a career in the IT sector.
Tutors and Mentors Wanted
Are you interested in inspiring the next generation of IT professionals? Sign up to join our YW Tech Lab Career Academy as a volunteer tutor or mentor. Tutors bring their wisdom and experience in their area(s) of expertise to our YW Tech Lab students and provide academic support.
In addition, our students are also interested in mentoring and information on topics including:
Transitioning into a career in tech
Career paths in web development and design
Entrepreneurship
How to navigate client meetings and expectations
Self-care in the workplace
Effective communication
Emotional intelligence
Financial management
Comparing employer benefits packages
Sign up to support our YW Tech Lab students during our next cohort beginning in May 2024. Our students need support for 1-6 months, depending on their chosen certification.