Online learning platforms that can help you develop your skills from the comfort of your own home (and even bed)?

By Fiona Stubbs , Careers & Employability Manger?

In the last few years, there has been a proliferation of online learning providers, offering courses to help you develop new skills. These can be helpful if you want to fill a skills gap and demonstrate a keenness when applying for jobs (eg Python, carbon literacy, data analysis).

Such courses can support your continuous learning now and in the future. After you leave university, you’ll need to keep up to date with industry developments and trends. Plus, newfound knowledge and skills can empower you to pave the way to a stimulating career.

Things to be mindful of

Many online learning?providers promote their courses by aligning them to specific job roles which can be helpful in your search. However, a certificate might not necessarily qualify you for a specific role, so I suggest checking with employers in the sector/recruiting company. Basically, be mindful of the selling agenda of some of these online learning providers and do your research before enrolling.

Some courses are free but don’t cover everything. For example, the actual learning content might be free, but you might have to pay for the certification. Check things out and assess what’s important to you.

Online learning platforms

There are an increasing number of online learning providers, and here are a few to explore.

LinkedIn Learning

As a UofG student, you have free access to thousands of courses on LinkedIn Learning, so there’s bound to be something that interests you, whether it’s business, creative or technology.

You can set career goals, and then, the system suggests courses to suit. There’s a weekly tracker that allows you to create and track a learning goal. If you want, you can display completed courses as digital certifications on your LinkedIn profile and see what others are learning.

Coursera

Coursera partners with top universities to deliver job-relevant courses, including what they call “job ready” certificates and degrees. As it’s one of UofG’s partners for online learning, students have?free access to a catalogue of teaching material from various partner universities.

Codecademy

As the names suggests, Codecademy specialises in teaching you how to code with classes in twelve different programming languages, including Python, Java, Go, JavaScript, Ruby, SQL, C++, C# and Swift, as well as markup languages HTML and CSS.

Google Digital Garage

Unsurprisingly, Google offers courses, specifically in digital skills. There are both free and paid courses classed as beginner, intermediate and advanced.

You can also visit the “Skills to Go” webpage where you can find courses based on your available time, whether you have five minutes, one hour or more. It can also?signpost to live online and (a few) in-person sessions.

(Google also offers professional certificates through Coursera.)

Skillshare

Skillshare is a platform geared towards design and visual arts professionals with courses such as graphic design, animation, photography and videography.

These courses are available through subscription.

Udemy

Udemy offers courses in an expansive range of areas, including technology, business, design, marketing, productivity, health, hobbies, lifestyle and the arts.

In addition to offering subscription options, Udemy lets you pick and pay for specific courses individually.

Upon completing a course, you‘ll receive a certificate which you can list on your LinkedIn profile and CV.

Udacity

Udacity is technology-orientated, focusing on software development. You can browse courses in AI, autonomous systems,?business, cloud computing, cybersecurity, data science, product management, programming and development?and more.

These courses are available by subscription.

FutureLearn

Founded by the Open University, FutureLearn is a UK company that offers online courses from top universities and brands, including UofG.

Some courses are free when you choose the “join with limited access” option. You can pay to access additional benefits. FutureLearn explains its access options in this article.

One advantage of this platform is that it offers microcredentials: nine- to twelve-week courses from universities ranging in subjects from sustainable fashion to TESOL (teaching English to speakers of other languages). Most microcredentials include assessment and some academic credit.

There are pros and cons to online learning, but with the ever-growing range of courses and information available to you, it’s worth exploring.

Good luck as you embark on your online learning journey!