Ready to Learn New Skills? These Are the Best Platforms to Help You Do It
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Right around the end of the year or the start of another, many of us are looking to improve ourselves. Some of us want to lose weight or save more money, while others want to learn something new!
The truth is, there’s never a better time than learn a new skill than right now, no matter what moment you’re reading this – and the sooner you start, the faster you’ll become a more skilled person.
Fortunately, with the help of the internet, there’s almost no skill that you can’t learn by yourself with the help of practice and a few courses.
There are many platforms that can help you achieve your wildest goals and become the person you really want to be.
Here are some of the best platforms where you’ll find all the courses you’re looking for.
Skillshare
Skillshare is one of the most complete platforms you can find online, and it’s filled to the brim with courses about pretty much anything.
You can learn to animate characters, coding, data science, or how to become a freelancer. You can even find courses on becoming a YouTuber, which is something you likely won’t find at university. Each course is delivered by someone who’s an expert in their field, so you’ll learn only from the best.
Since all classes are videos, you can decide when and how to start. You’ll control when and where you want to watch them. And if there’s a live course, you can decide to save it for later. And if you want, you can also engage with small groups of people who want to learn the same thing you do.
Skillshare is a subscription-based service, but you can start your 7-day free trial and then decide if you want to pay the whole membership.
Udemy
Udemy is a platform that’s been around for a while now, and there’s a reason it’s still popular to this day. Udemy has a ton of video courses you can start trying right now. From lifestyle courses that’ll teach you how to live a better life to productivity courses that can help you read faster or achieve your goals.
There are many courses to choose from, and you can filter them by things like time, ratings, and experience level, so there’s really no excuse not to start working on the courses you want or need. Plus, it’s got something called Udemy Business so that you can give your work team access to thousands of courses.
The best thing about Udemy is how affordable it is. You don’t have to subscribe to use it. Instead, you can buy the courses individually, and some courses are as low as $10-$11. Plus, there are constant sales that will help you get more with less money.
MasterClass
You’ve probably heard about MasterClass in the past, but this site has got what you need to keep you engaged and learning something new.
What’s so different about MasterClass? Well, courses are given by some of the most influential experts and celebrities available. What better way to learn how to cook than from Gordon Ramsay, or how to play chess than from Garry Kasparov.
That doesn’t mean they are the only experts available, but it does help to receive courses from people you’re already familiar with. This could help you become more interested in the course and not miss a day, which is something very important if you want to learn something new.
You’ll need to subscribe to the MasterClass membership for at least $15 per month to access all the courses, but you’ll get access to as many courses as you want and other useful features. Keep in mind though, this subscription is billed annually, so you’ll need to pay upfront.
Cybrary
Cybrary is a great platform if you want to learn about technology as much as you can. Cybrary offers five different career paths: Cybersecurity, IT, Cloud, Data Science, and DevSecOps.
If you’re into tech, this is the best way to get you started and even be more prepared than the competition when you want to land a job in one of these fields. It’s a great way to jump-start your cybersecurity career from your home.
Plus, you can subscribe by yourself, for $24 per month, or join as a team with other friends or family members for $50 per month, which is great if you know other people with similar interests.
FutureLearn
FutureLearn is another great platform on the list, albeit it might not be for everyone, especially if you’re on a budget.
What’s great about FutureLearn is that it offers courses given by universities and specialized organizations. After you finish a course, you get an online degree, and you can earn professional accreditation with the help of micro-credentials.
FutureLearn feels like being in the university, which is why you get a bunch of value for your subscription, but it also means it’s a bit expensive.
You can start trying FutureLearn for free with the 7-day trial. Afterward, you’ll need to pay $39 per month, which is on the expensive side, especially compared to other platforms on the list. But, since you can learn anything from business, politics, medicine, and more, it might be really worth it for you.
Google Skillshop
If you want to start learning something about marketing, Google Ads, or YouTube, but you don’t know where to start, Google Skillshop is a great place for you.
Google Skillshop has two great things going on for it. First, you get access to all the courses made by Google product experts. What better way to learn about Google than from Google. Plus, you’ll get Google certifications that you can then add to your resume.
Second, Google Skillshop courses are completely free. Even though the courses only explain the most basic things you need to know, there’s no better way to start than with free courses. You can go at your own pace and not worry about paying a monthly subscription or anything like that.
LinkedIn Learning
If you want to have access to the most popular professional social media and share with others what you’ve learned, LinkedIn Learning is the right platform for you.
LinkedIn Learning has a lot of courses, quizzes, and exercises for your to master a new skill. And after you’re done, you get a certification you can share with your connections to show what you’re really made of!
This platform has three main subjects: business, technology, and creativity, and each one has its own categories, so you’ll have a lot to learn from this site.
Another cool benefit from LinkedIn Learning is that you get up to one month for free before subscribing. Plus, you also get access to LinkedIn Premium, which gives you a lot of benefits to help you land the job you want. What’s more, you can subscribe by yourself or as a team with other LinkedIn members. Perfect to master a new skill with friends and coworkers.
