Digital Learning Tools That Can Boost Your Career

Continuing education is a terrific way to learn new skills, improve on old ones, and boost your career in the process. However, you may not know where to start when it comes to choosing a path that works for you. You may also be under the false notion that it’s prohibitively expensive, when in fact, it doesn’t have to be. Many learning tools are now available online that can help you sharpen your skills and move up within your field. Here are some digital learning tools worth checking out.

Professional Skill Sets: Udemy, Hubspot & Lynda

Whether you are a graphic designer, web developer, SEO strategist, or marketing expert, you will find that there are ample tools available online to help you hone your professional skill sets. Platforms like Udemy and Lynda offer continuing education and beginner courses in a wide range of disciplines, for little to no money. Advancing your skills is as simple as signing up and finding the right course for you. And with robust video resources available, these tools make learning fun and easy.

For inbound marketers, search engine optimization experts, and sales consultants, platforms like Hubspot may be a more natural fit. For several reasons, in fact – not only because Hubspot offers instructive coursework, but because there are online certifications available that can be leveraged for promotions and job opportunities. A respected resource and authority in the field of inbound marketing, a Hubspot certification is viewed with high regard by many professionals. Add one to your resume and see what opportunities it opens up.

College Courses: edX, Coursera & OEDb

For those with broader educational goals in mind, it is no stretch to say that college coursework represents one of the best ways to sharpen that most valuable of tools – the brain. College courses are comprehensive and highly educational; beyond that, they demonstrate an ability and understanding on your part for constructive criticism, open mindedness, critical thinking, and problem solving (among many other desirable professional traits). If you are interested in taking up college courses in your off time, the good news is that you have numerous options.

Of course, it should go without saying that many colleges offer their own courses online, as well as in person, for those seeking continuing education. If you have a college or university near you, you may inquire about the courses on offer in your town or city. You may even broaden your social circle while you’re at it. However, there are also several online educational organizations available for those with busier schedules – among them, edX and Coursera. These platforms offer coursework from universities around the world, including schools like Johns Hopkins and Stanford. Best of all, many of these courses are incredibly affordable (and in some cases, even free).

Personal Development: Amway Education, Etsy Email Courses & More

Beyond tools aimed at improving professional skills and broadening your educational background, there are also tools to aid you in improving yourself. Perhaps you want more confidence when speaking in front of an audience? Or perhaps you need to brush up on your time management skills? There are a wide range of online tools to help you accomplish these goals. If you would like to improve yourself, fear not. For the entrepreneurs out there, you will find that there are ample tools at your disposal as well.

Online courses and educational tools like Amway Academy and Etsy Email Courses can help small business owners learn how to better position and market their products, as well as brush up on their interpersonal and communication skills – vital traits for any businessman or woman. And like many of the tools already discussed, these resources are available completely online, for free. All that’s required to benefit from the lessons they offer is to sign up. If you are wondering how to transition from a full-time position to self-employment, these programs can give you the tools and information you need to take the next step.

Could Continuing Education Be Your Path Forward?

Developing new skills, honing old ones, and showing a willingness to take on additional responsibilities are all traits that are looked kindly upon by employers. Needless to say, if you have considered continuing education yourself, do it. Not only will you make yourself more valuable to your employer, by demonstrating that you take a proactive approach to work challenges, you’ll make yourself more valuable as a resource to others as well. Best of all, continuing education doesn’t have to cost a fortune. In fact, as these resources clearly show, in many cases, it will cost you nothing more than your time. So, what are you waiting for? Sign up for classes today.