5 Ways to Learn New Skills Online (for FREE!)
“Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow.” – Anthony J. D’Angelo
It’s never too late to learn new skills. And, in the fast-paced world that we live in, there is always more to learn. Whether it’s for your current job, a new career path, or for personal development, learning a new skill can help move you in the direction you want to grow.
The idea of learning a new skill is exciting. You might ask yourself, “Where do I even start? How much will it cost? Do I really have time to attend classes?” Fortunately, these potential obstacles don’t have to stand in the way of you achieving your goals. There are so many high-quality courses available online that you can complete for free, from a wide variety of providers. Some of these courses are completed on a schedule, and some can be completed on your own time, and at your own pace.
Listed below are some fantastic resources for learning new skills. But you don’t have to stop here! You can do your own research to find resources that best match your specific needs.
1. Coursera
Imagine learning from the most elite professors in an online environment with fellow students from around the world. With Coursera you can do just that! Courses are taught by top instructors from universities and colleges including Stanford, Yale, Princeton, Vanderbilt, and Berkeley, just to name a few. Courses vary in time commitment requirements, but offer a flexible learning pace.
Categories include Business, Computer Science, IT, Personal Development, Language Learning, and more. 1,600+ of these courses are completely free. Some require nominal fees, and they also offer more expensive online certificate and master’s degree program options. Financial aid is available to qualified students.
2. Alison
With over 2,000 high-quality courses available in subjects like Administrative Support, Workplace Safety and Health, Medical Coding and Billing, and Customer Service Skills you’re sure to find an option to improve your career-related skills. Alison also offers tailored career skills guidance, dependent on your specific life stage.
Categories include Business, Operations, Finance, IT, Marketing, Skilled Trades, and more. Alison’s online certificate and diploma degree programs are all free.
3. Udemy
Udemy’s 500+ free courses span a range of topics and are very much foundational. If you’re looking to learn a new skill from scratch Udemy would be a great place to start.
Categories include Web Development, IT, Personal Development, Microsoft, and more. In addition to their free courses, Udemy offers more than 100,000 paid courses on almost any topic, that can be completed at your own pace.
4. Skillshare
The courses offered on Skillshare are designed by creative professionals and entrepreneurs who are experts in their fields. Every course has a project where students can collaborate with others. A free account gives you access to a huge selection of free classes and the mobile app.
The Skillshare platform is geared toward those looking to boost their creative skills in categories like Creative Writing, Graphic Design, Photography, and Web Design. A paid premium membership will get you access to Skillshare’s full catalog of 20,000+ courses and creative community.
5. edX
EdX takes seriously their company vision of “a world where every learner can access education to unlock their potential, without the barriers of cost or location”. Any of their 7,000+ courses can be taken for free, although graded assignments and certificates are only earned by those with a paid account. For learners who can demonstrate that the verified certificate fee would cause financial hardship they offer financial assistance.
Categories include Business & Management, Communication, Economics & Finance, Ethics, Law, and many more.
As a professional in your field, improving your job-related skills is always recommended. Learning a new skill or strengthening existing skills can help you land a promotion or leadership position, earn new project assignments, or even open the door to a new career path. Remember to improve your personal skills, too. Consider a course in time management, organization, leadership, social media or even people skills; these will all make you more marketable in any job field!
Our recruiters are ready to help you throughout every step of your career. Contact your local NW Staffing Resources branch today!
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