While I’ve worked somewhat extensively with iOS in the past several years, being knowledgeable with Android in an enterprise environment is an absolute must as more and more mobile workers, especially the Millenials, favor Android over iOS. In fact, I truly believe where the company stands with the digital workspace can help attract top talents to fill its openings.

How does one get the skills needed to deploy and manage Android devices successfully? With so many online resources available, learning new skills or even getting certified no longer require taking time off from work or stepping out of your pajamas (if you so wish.) Just recently on LinkedIn, I saw more and more people getting certified in Android Enterprise. I couldn’t help but join in the fun and prepare myself for the next phase in enterprise mobility management (EMM). As I complete each module, my interest in and appreciation for Android being used in an enterprise environment began to grow like never before.

To start, visit Google Android Enterprise Academy at http://androidenterprise.training. As expected or not, this requires a Google account to sign in.

Once you sign in, click on the Browse icon followed by Android Enterprise Academy. You can also search the catalog if you know the name of the course you would like to take.

If you are a total newbie or would like a refresh course, you may select the Android Enterprise Platform Associate as a start. Or you can select Android Enterprise Professional if you are up for the challenge. However, the former appears to cater to those in sales more than technical professionals. It should only take half the time to complete compared to the professional course. Unless you already know the inner working of Android like the palm of your hand, I highly suggest that you take your time and complete each module slowly.

Both courses are intuitive and expanded my vocabularies in the digital workspace tremendously such as BYOD (personally owned), COPE (company-owned, personally-enabled), COBO (company-owned, business only), and COSU (company-owned, single use).

Along the way, I couldn’t help but compare many of the features with managing iOS devices and apps. For instance, the zero-touch enrollment seems similar to Apple Device Enrollment Program (DEP).

Another similarity I can see is Managed Google Play versus the Apple Volume Purchase Program (VPP).

Once you have completed all the lessons and completed the final assessment with a course, you will receive a digital certificate similar to the one below.

While Apple does offer a similar certification program, it comes with a hefty price tag. If you are lucky enough to have worked with any existing EMM solutions such as VMware AirWatch, chances are you would have learned about the same topics through the vendor anyway.

Never stop learning!