by MG Siegler

The idea of working at Google is a dream job for many engineers all around the world. So where better to go to get ready for this career than the Googlle Institute of Software of Software Studies, right? Hold on a second. Read that name again.

Yes, it appears that some jokers in India are attempting to leverage not only Google’s name, but their logo and even favicon to trick people into thinking they their quite-possibly-bogus online university is related to the real Google somehow. Dubbed the “School For Future Software Engineers,” the Googlle Institute has a website that looks like it could some sort of legitimate online training school — if it weren’t for the sketchy naming, branding, and plethora of dead links.

They apparently offer two certifications: “GCPA – Googlle Certified Professional in Advanced Computing,” which promises to teach you technologies related to “Windows Professional” and “Linux Professional.” The other certification is “GCPE – Googlle Certified Professional in E-Commerce,” which gives you more consumer-oriented skills, such as Photoshop. These courses take two years to complete, but the site notes that they also offer “Modular courses – duration 60 days to 90 days that can enhance your computer skills and offer you “GOOGLLE” certification, no matter what your specific requirement.” Oh goody, a Googlle certification.

The site also features a bunch of pictures of students sitting around outside at a campus, sitting in a classroom, graduating, the works. The only problem? As far as I can tell, there is no actual campus. Actually, almost every link on the site leads to dead end pages that don’t actually exist.

This “Googlle” is apparently a division of C.B.Online Pvt. Ltd., which is some sort of online business “solutions” provider based in India. Googlle’s headquarters is apparently in Orissa, India at the Rajarani Petrol Pump Complex. That sounds a lot like a gas station to me, but who knows. Regardless, I’m sure it’s not as nice as Google’s actual offices in India (they have four main hubs for the bustling and burgeoning tech scene there). Hopefully they have something to say about this site.

[thanks Deb]