Best online learning for upgrading your skills during the pandemic

Do you have extra time on your hands since the start of the pandemic? Well, now is the perfect opportunity to learn new skills or upgrade your education. It’s never been easier with everything going virtual, but you need to make sure the programs you’re choosing are reputable and valid.

Do some research. Look up reviews. A valid course should offer a recognizable numbered certificate upon completion and be offered by a full accredited organization or school. It also never hurts to reach out to schools, potential employers and regular folks in the industry to find out if the course you’re considering would be seen as worthy.

So without further delay, here are some of our favourite options to help you grow your skills.

GOOGLE DIGITAL GARAGE

Google Digital Garage offers a wide selection of courses in Digital Marketing, business, coding, social media, tips for job interviews and more. Remember they are going to be somewhat google oriented so there may be some information lacking if you are looking for a program that encompases a multitude of skills.

LINKEDIN

Take courses related to your career interests and background with LinkIn Learning. Offering a large selection of practical courses as well as skill sharpening mini quizzes these courses are a fun and quick way to improve your online portfolio. Best of all they are free with your paid membership to LinkedIn.

COURSERA & EDX

Get a micro-masters from some of the most highly regarded learning institutions in the world. MIT, Harvard and other notable universities have partnered with Coursera and Edx to offer higher learning online. The best part is you can achieve the masters or certificate you have always wanted without having to take the ‘fluff classes’ often required when going to university. These programs are subject specific and come with a recognizable certificate or diploma upon completion.

SKILLSHARE

Price: $19 per month (or $99 if you go for the annual subscription) Advantage: Quick hits of creativity from experts on a mobile-friendly platform Skillshare offers video-based courses in areas like animation, design, illustration, lifestyle, photography, film, business and writing. Skillshare courses are designed and taught by prominent artists, writers and other creatives. These typically consist of a series of short video lessons, with many of the courses themselves taking an hour or less to complete. That said, there are also “assigned” exercises and prompts that you can do to enhance the experience and practice what you’ve learned. You can even share projects based on the lessons with others who have taken the course. And since it’s a membership-based platform, you’d be able to access all of the courses on the site.

MASTERCLASS

Learning writing from Aaron Sorkin! Photography from ...Celebrities teach you how to do the stuff they get paid millions to do. Malcolm Gladwell teaches you non-fiction writing…filmmaking from Jodie Foster...tennis lessons from Serena Williams…Christina Aguilera teaches singing.

Learn from the people who have turned their passion into a career.