The pandemic has shown us how precarious employment can be. Millions have been furloughed or made redundant in recent months and the economic costs of COVID will be felt for many years to come. It’s also illustrated the need for both employers and individuals to be willing to continue to learn and develop as the best way to thrive beyond the current recession.
Previous recessions have consistently found that those with the highest levels of qualification have fared better than those less highly skilled or qualified, securing alternative employment more quickly.
What’s interesting about this particular recession is that despite the numbers of people seeking work there is a clearly a significant digital and technology skills gap. There are more opportunities, looking at UK jobs boards, in this area than in any other. Whilst some of these jobs may require a degree in Computing, Science or Engineering, the need for all of us develop our technical skills is of particular importance as we look to flourish in a post-COVID world.
The kinds of digital skills required won’t all need to be at degree level in order to make us more employable. They span a whole range of areas of work and even short courses may provide us with a competitive advantage when we’re applying for jobs. It’s assumed by many recruiters that most people will be able to operate Microsoft packages such as Word. If however you can also offer proficiency in Excel and use it to analyse data- something most companies will value- then this will stand out on your CV.
As many of us have had to work from home during the past year, we have adapted to online technologies at speed, getting to grips with remote working, Zoom and MS Teams- something many of us weren’t previously familiar with, but which we’ve now absorbed into our daily work.
Online Learning- the good news
The really good news is that one significant area that has expanded and thrived during Lockdown expansion is online learning. This has grown exponentially over the past 12 months and has led to the democratisation of learning as never before, with many opportunities to access thousands of free courses and many inexpensive ones.
Free courses
Just before Easter, the Government launched its new learning platform with access to high-quality, digital and numeracy courses. The courses are designed to boost confidence, build skills, help progression in work and boost job prospects. Courses include Practical Maths, Computing Essentials, Personal Growth and Wellbeing, Professional Development, Business and Finance, Digital Design and Marketing, Computer Science and Coding.
2. Coursera
Coursera offers more than 1,700 free courses. Courses have been designed with many leading Universities. They are flexible and many focus on job-related skills. There are a wide range of topics on offer; free courses are clearly labelled and you can search by theme. if you want to access a certificate for proof of completion, however, you will need to pay.
3. Udemy
Udemy offers more than 9,000 free courses with many others from as little as £13.99- amounts will depend on both length and level. Udemy’s mission is to provide the skills people across the world need in order to succeed.
4. Openlearn
Openlearn is provided by the Open University. A broad range of courses are available. Overall there are fewer purely that are work-related but there are a number of free courses designed to increase your employability, including Personal Branding for Career Success, Understanding your Sector and Succeeding in the Workplace.
5. Futurelearn
Futurelearn offers access to free learning to many courses + 14 days after they start. After this you will need to upgrade to pay beyond this time. Futurelearn covers a very broad range of topics including a number related to enhancing your employability skills. You can search by topic and free courses.
Other sources of free learning
By simply Googling topics of interest you will find other providers of useful skills for specific purposes- so the list above is simply a starting point.
There is something immensely fulfilling about learning something new. Sometimes all is takes is the commitment to a small amount of time each week. Investing in your learning clearly demonstrates to both your current and potential employers your willingness to develop and grow and to take responsibility for your own learning. Investing in lifelong learning will help futureproof your ability to find and secure employment.
In times of change learners inherit the earth; while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.
Eric Hoffer
Author: Anne Wilson
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Thank you very much for listing these resources
Thanks Jacky- I’m glad you found them useful!