Looking to update your skills for today’s ever-changing workplace? Take advantage of our top 10 picks for online resources to keep your skills relevant for 2022.
By now, almost everyone has recognized that the economy is undergoing a massive transformation. New technologies are reshaping the workforce, giving rise to new industries, companies, and employee roles. At the same time, tens of millions of employees are rethinking their place in the economy, resigning from their current jobs, and moving on to new career opportunities.
Whether you are thinking about joining the Great Reshuffle or simply want to keep pace with these changes as you advance your career, it is vital to learn the new skills that employers need. In this post, we will explore the ten best places to learn new skills in 2022.
Why should you learn new skills?
Before we examine those resources, however, it is important to answer the obvious question: why should you even bother to learn new skills? If you are like millions of other workers, you might assume that your college education or other training should be all you need to reach your career goals. After all, that was the case for many previous generations of American employees. They went to college or completed vocational training, got a job in their chosen field, and then worked until retirement. It was a fairly linear career path enjoyed by tens of millions of employees for many decades.
That linear career path is becoming less common as time goes by. The modern economy is constantly evolving, and those changes mean that workers need to keep pace by updating their skill sets. Those who fail to adapt to these changes could end up losing out on opportunities and being left behind as the economy continues to advance. Even those who somehow manage to keep their jobs may find that career advancement is stifled if they lack the skills needed to qualify for promotions. In short, today’s employees need to continually enhance their skills to ensure that companies continue to view them as valuable assets.
Ten online sites where you can learn new skills
Fortunately, there are many ways to learn the new skills you need to remain relevant in a rapidly changing workplace. We have compiled ten of the best online resources that can help you get the training you need to develop and enhance those skills.
1. Udemy
Udemy boasts 183,000 video course offerings, covering skills that range from design, music, and photography to IT, software, and business. Whether you want to obtain new Photoshop skills or develop your abilities in programming and machine learning, this site almost certainly has the courses you need to move forward with your career goals.
2. Coursera
The Coursera site offers a variety of online courses, which include university-supported classes that can be used to obtain degrees and other courses that simply provide an opportunity to enhance your skill set. Skill development topics include computer or data science, business education, information technology, and personal development.
3. edX
The edX site’s more than 3,000 offerings include courses from many of the most prestigious universities in the world. Users of the site can participate in edX’s free-to-degree program to get the skills and credentials they need to advance careers in networking, coding, business management, and more.
4. Codecademy
Codecademy provides both free and paid course offerings that can help users develop relevant tech skills needed by many of today’s top employers. The free option offers courses that allow skill development in a variety of coding languages, while the monthly subscription includes added benefits like step-by-step guidance, access to real-world projects, and completion certificates.
5. Skillcrush
The Skillcrush courses are designed to help students learn to code and design, with an eye toward career reinvention. The courses are mentor-led and project-based, to ensure that students have the guidance they need to develop an entire portfolio of projects that they can present to hiring managers.
6. Skillshare
Skillshare’s course offerings include thousands of programs that can help you develop business, technology, and creative skills prized by today’s employers. From data science and mobile development to marketing, entrepreneurship, and graphic design, Skillshare’s courses are designed to meet most students’ skill development needs.
7. LinkedIn Learning
LinkedIn Learning is the successor to Lynda.com and continues to offer that educational site’s content and instructors to students who need to learn new skills. The site provides more than 10,000 instructional courses in a wide range of subject areas. Users simply pay for access to the site and can then select as many courses as they need.
8. Udacity
Udacity offers skill development solutions for individuals and organizations, with instruction in vital skills like data science, business, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity. According to Udacity, its goal is to help students gain the in-demand tech skills needed to maintain relevance in an ever-changing workforce.
9. Treehouse
Treehouse provides computer coding instruction through online courses and its Techdegree coding bootcamp program. With online courses, quizzes, workshops, and a supportive community, students have all the resources needed to develop the professional technical skills they need to advance their careers.
10. Coursica
Coursica offers a host of curated courses designed to help you develop critical skills that can enhance your career. This focused approach to virtual learning can enable you to learn new skills like various programming languages, cyber security, Information technology, project management, and more. Certificates of completion are available for completing the courses.
Bonus learning opportunities
In addition to those paid and unpaid skill development resources, there are also sites like Babbel that can help you develop new language skills, Coach.me for free online coaching, and the Khan Academy that can help you with any high school or early college level skills that may have grown rusty over time.
Summary
As new technology and changing workplace dynamics continue to reshape the way we work, it is more important than ever to ensure that your work skills remain relevant and valued by employers. By relying on these and other places to learn new skills in 2022, you can help to ensure that your skill set is ready to meet any future challenges.
Have you already updated your skills and not sure how to showcase them on your resume? Take advantage of our TopResume Experts to ensure your resume reflects your new knowledge!
