Google Clarifies Pause of Job Training Feature in Search

An update to a developer page for Job Training structured data indicates that this part will not appear as a special feature in search results as part of the Job Search experience on Google.

Google Pathways Page Removed

Google’s Job Training structured data page used to link to their Google Pathways page.

But Google appears to have removed the Google Pathways program and the link was replaced with a link to a more generic Job Search Experience page.

The Google Pathways page was the explainer page for the Training Experience in Google search.

Screenshot of Missing Pathways Web Page (Saved at Archive.org)

Screenshot from Archive.org of the Google Pathways web page that is now missing

The URL of the Pathways page now leads to the more general Job Postings page.

The Pathways program was meant to be a network of job training programs. The job training programs were supposed to show up as a special job training experience in the search results.

Pathways was officially announced in 2018.

Example of Job Training in Search Experience

Above is an example of how the Job Training search experience is supposed to look like.

Google Job Search Feature

A job search feature in Google search allows users to find jobs in their local area. The feature has filters that allows job seekers to narrow down by job title, location and date posted.

According to Google:

“Google brings together job postings from across the web, whether they’re on websites run by small businesses or job sites with thousands of listings. This helps job seekers easily find their next job directly in Search.”

In order to participate, employers need to add structured data that is specific for job postings. This is a reference to the JobPosting structured data.

Adding this to a web page allows the job posting to appear in what Google calls the “job search experience.” The job search experience allows job seekers to browse for jobs directly from Google search.

Google Job Training Feature

Another feature that could find its way to the job search user experience is Job Training. The idea is that job seekers will be able to use Google’s job search experience to not only finds jobs but also to find job training opportunities.

There are two kinds of structured data that are related to the job training user experience in search:

Job Training opportunities could be from educational institutions or from apprentice programs.

One kind of structured data suggested by Google is EducationalOccupationalProgram. This could be in the form of an associate degree in a specific trade.

Another eligible form of structured data for the Job Training feature is paid on the job training. This uses the WorkBasedProgram structured data.

Requirements

There is a long list of requirements in order to benefit from a future implementation of the Job Training feature of Google’s job search experience in Search.

A chief requirement is to use all of the required structured data.

Certificates and degree programs must lead to jobs that do not require a minimum of a bachelor’s degree and up to a two year length of classes.

Paid work programs do not have such time-based restrictions and can last longer than two years.

Beta Job Training Feature Clarification

Google’s developer page (within Google Search Central) has long stated that this new feature was currently in Beta.

However Google has recently updated the page to indicate that this feature will not be shown in Google search. This is a big change from the previous feature availability statement.

This is what the feature availability used to be:

“To ensure a good user experience, we’re slowly rolling out coverage throughout the US. We are currently developing this feature and you may see changes in requirements or guidelines. You may not see results in Google Search right away. To ensure robust coverage and better serve our users, this feature is currently limited to job training providers in the US.”

This is what the current feature availability statement says:

“We are currently developing this feature and you may see changes in requirements or guidelines. This appearance isn’t available on Google Search right now.”

Clearly, that’s a big change. Google previously indicated that it was slowly rolling out. But now it looks like Google has backtracked on displaying Job Training data in Google Search.

Google hasn’t completely closed the door on this program. The statement says that the job training feature isn’t available “right now” which leaves open the possibility that the feature may be included in Google Search sometime in the future.